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Browns looking to start fast against Steelers

By WTOP Staff

TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns have shown they can fight, rallying last week to make some history. It’s time they learned how to throw the first punch.

Or duck.

Last week, they overcame a 25-point deficit and won 29-28 at Tennessee, staging the greatest regular season rally in league history for a road team.

It was a near carbon copy of what they did in Week 1, when the Browns battled back from 24 points down at halftime in Pittsburgh before losing on a last-second field goal.

The never-say-die attitude is admirable, but hardly a formula for success. As they prepare for Sunday’s game against the Steelers (3-2), the Browns (2-2) know they can’t count on a comeback every week.

“When you play good teams in the NFL, and most teams are, you can’t get behind because it’s too hard to come back,” quarterback Brian Hoyer said. “Especially playing at home this week and with what happened to us last week, we know that we have to start fast.”

That, and get a win inside the AFC North.

For all their drama — Cleveland’s four games have been decided by eight points, prompting Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas to dub he and his teammates “drama queens” — the Browns have shown progress but still need to close the gap in their tough division. They’ve already lost to Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and are trying to prevent the Steelers from sweeping the series for the 11th time since 1999.

“You have to win games in your division,” Hoyer said. “Regardless if it’s Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, these are huge games for us.”

For the Steelers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the short weekend trips across the Ohio border have been mostly pleasurable for more than a decade.

Big Ben is 18-1 in his career against the Browns, including a 9-1 mark in Cleveland. Roethlisberger has been able to soften the bite of the Dawg Pound, but he’s expecting the Browns’ rabid fans to be rowdier than ever.

“This is as big of a game probably in Cleveland in a while,” he said. “Just because of their record, our record, us coming in there, AFC North and the rivalry that’s there. I anticipate it being a hostile environment, maybe like nothing I’ve ever seen up there before.

“This is not going to be easy for us.”

Here are other things to monitor when the Browns and Steelers meet for the second time in five weeks:

HOYER’S HEROICS: Hoyer has been on quite a roll. After throwing the go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:09 left to beat the Titans, Hoyer busted out some dance moves during a wild celebration in Cleveland’s locker room. Hoyer, who pulled off his third comeback win in seven career starts, had his No. 6 jersey put on display this week at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Not bad for a guy who suffered a career-threatening knee injury just a year ago. His birthday is Monday.

A win over the Steelers would be early icing for his cake.

BROWN VS. HADEN: Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is riding an NFL record of 21 straight games with at least five receptions and 50 yards receiving. To extend it, he could face Browns Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden, who missed practice this week with a hip injury.

Brown and Haden have developed a friendly rivalry, with Brown getting the upper hand of late. He is averaging five catches for 87 yards in seven career games against the Browns and caught six passes for 116 yards and a score in the opener.

EFENSE (NO D): Through four games, Cleveland’s defense has been a disaster. The Browns are giving up yardage in huge chunks and failing to hold up their end as they’ve been totally outplayed by the team’s offense.

The Browns will be challenged by the Steelers’ fourth-ranked offense, averaging 6.1 yards per play. Roethlisberger and Brown have combined for eight passing plays of longer than 25 yards — a league best.

RED ZONE WOES: Pittsburgh is averaging only 22.3 points per game because of an inability to reach the end zone at the end of long drives. The Steelers are converting only 43 percent of their drives inside the opponent’s 20 into touchdowns and did it just once in four trips during last week’s lethargic 17-9 win over Jacksonville.

TOO LEGIT: The Browns have been getting some national attention and not just because rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel wears brown and orange.

Cleveland is on the cusp of being taken seriously as a contender, and a win over the Steelers would legitimize the Browns.

“We know we’re close,” coach Mike Pettine said.

For Thomas, there’s something much more important than gaining a media following.

“I don’t really care,” he said. “There might be a couple guys in here who do, but not me. I just want to win. I actually think that less recognition is better because then you have a chance to sneak up on people.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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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