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Browns trying to patch up leaky defense

By WTOP Staff

TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The defense was expected to be the Browns’ strength this season, their backbone.

So far, it’s been busted.

Cleveland enters this Sunday’s game at Tennessee with the No. 30 overall defense — 29th in yards rushing and 27th in yards passing — with only Atlanta and winless Jacksonville ranked below the Browns, who spent their bye week trying to patch holes in a leaky line and surprisingly suspect secondary.

Starting with an atrocious first half in the season opener at Pittsburgh, the Browns have had issues with poor tackling, over pursuit, blown coverages, sideline communication and top players — high draft picks like linebacker Barkevious Mingo or Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden — not living up to reputations or playing to their potential. It’s been one thing or another.

The offense was supposed to struggle early on with the defense holding things together, but the opposite has been true.

“That was the good thing about the bye week,” linebacker Jabaal Sheard said. “We had a chance to fix all those plays we did miss.”

The statistics are ugly. The Browns are allowing 153.7 yards rushing and giving up an NFL-high 7.31 yards per play on first down. It’s not like they’ve been much better or second and third down either. Opposing teams have been putting long scoring drives together, including several over 80 yards.

Linebacker Karlos Dansby, in his 11th season, believes all the problems can be easily fixed.

“It comes down to technique,” said Dansby, who signed as a free agent in March and has been one of the few Cleveland defenders playing well. “If you don’t play sound technique, you’re going to get beat. You’ve got to be able to come together as a unit, and if one guy is out of his gap, then another guy should be there to cover for him.

“But if you’re expecting a guy to be there and he’s not there, you’ll have a breakdown in a play.”

That’s happened far too often through three games.

Some of the Browns have been guilty of trying to do too much and gotten themselves caught out of position. There have been times when Cleveland’s failure to stay true to defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil’s scheme has resulted in big gains. There’s a fine line between being aggressive and overaggressive.

Sheard believes he and his teammates need to understand their assignments and perform them.

No more. No less.

“Guys got to get more in tune with their playbook,” he said. “We have to count on one and other. Everybody is trying to make a play, but you have to let other guys make plays and let your play come to you. You’ve got to just do your job. We got 11 dudes out there getting paid to do their job, so you’ve got to understand that and let guys make their plays.”

O’Neil used last week’s break to address the Browns’ defensive woes. Coaches love to say “the film doesn’t lie,” and the Browns had to endure watching replays of their many misses this season.

“It was good for the coaches to see it. It was good for the players to see it,” O’Neil said. “I think that went a long way in everybody’s minds.”

In Dansby’s mind, the Browns’ defense can be dominant.

“It’s early, man,” he said. “We’re ironing out some wrinkles and we should have some success coming up.”

NOTES: Suspended WR Josh Gordon has been at the team’s facility while serving his 10-game ban for violating the league’s new substance-abuse policy. Gordon is allowed to attend team meetings but he lifts alone and his interactions with teammates has been limited. “He’s kind of on the opposite schedule of everybody else, but he has been here,” coach Mike Pettine said. … Pettine said RB Ben Tate is “on course to play” on Sunday against Tennessee after missing two games with a sprained knee. … Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said backup QB Johnny Manziel may still be part of the game plan. “Nothing is off the table,” he said. … The Browns have lost seven straight road games, are 3-21 the past three years on the road and 33-89 since 1999.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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