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Facing Jets, Peyton Manning 5 TDs from record

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Rex Ryan already knew facing Peyton Manning is a daunting task in any week.

But the fact the Denver Broncos quarterback is heading to New York five touchdown passes away from tying Brett Favre’s career record? Well, that just doesn’t sit well with the Jets coach.

“Oh, God,” said a wide-eyed Ryan, drawing laughs, when informed Friday of the impending milestone. “Let’s hope he doesn’t do it this week.”

That, of course, would likely mean bad things for the Jets, who have lost four in a row and are trying to save their season before it spirals out of control. Going up against the soon-to-be touchdown tossing king isn’t exactly the ideal cure for the team’s woes.

Manning, who has 503 career TD passes, threw for a career-high 479 yards last weekend with four scores in a 41-20 win over Arizona, tying Dan Marino for the most 400-yard games in NFL history with 13. Ryan was asked if the thought of Manning breaking the record against the Jets entered his mind.

“No, I’m not going into the game thinking we’re going to give up five touchdown passes,” he said. “He’s beat me enough through the years. He doesn’t need to break the record against me.”

Ryan is 2-5 in his career against Manning, as both a defensive coordinator with Baltimore and as a head coach with New York. One of those wins came in 2009, when Manning was pulled early to prevent injury with the playoff-bound Indianapolis Colts entering the game 14-0.

And, if a five-touchdown game for Manning sounds like a stretch, he has thrown at least that many nine times in his career — eight in the regular season. That includes a seven-TD performance against Baltimore in last year’s season opener that tied an NFL record. Manning also has had five touchdown passes six times, including the playoffs, with the most recent coming against Kansas City last December.

So, yeah, it’s very possible.

“It’s a huge challenge for our defense,” linebacker David Harris said. “We’re facing the best quarterback of all time.”

Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman laughed and shook his head when he was asked how the Jets can stop Manning.

“That is really funny,” Thurman said. “Everybody has jokes. Nobody else has (stopped him), right? Has anybody else stopped him?”

Well, not many.

Manning is off to another terrific start, with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions in the Broncos’ 3-1 start. While the touchdown mark is the headline, he also needs just 203 yards to pass Jake Plummer (11,631) for the fourth-most yards passing in Broncos history, and 335 to pass Brian Griese (11,763) for third. And it’s only Manning’s third season with the franchise.

New York’s defense is ranked No. 6 overall, in terms of yardage allowed, but has struggled against the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matthew Stafford and Philip Rivers in recent weeks. The Jets realize they need to get in Manning’s face and make him uncomfortable to have a shot at slowing him down. But, as Ryan knows, that’s easier said than done.

“You can’t give him as clear a picture as he wants it to be,” Ryan said. “I think if he has a clear picture, he’s just going to carve you up. You’ve got to change some things on him.”

That means mixing up defensive schemes, blitzing packages, pass-rushing pressure and coverage in the secondary.

“We’ve got our hands full,” Harris said.

It also means the Jets won’t rely much on old film of their successes against Manning.

“He has probably studied all of that stuff already,” Thurman said. “From what I understand, he has a projector at home and has two or three different guys breaking down tapes for him two or three weeks ahead of time. He has already done that stuff. So if we go backward, we are probably playing in his wheelhouse.”

The Jets got their first interception of the season last week, and trying to force turnovers has been a focus. New York is also tied for the league lead with 17 sacks, so the Jets’ front seven could be plenty active on Sunday.

“I’m certainly no expert on how to stop him,” Ryan said. “We’ve had some battles through the years and he’s gotten the better of it a lot of times. But, I’m not just going to sit in there and just play one or two coverages.”

___

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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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