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Proving time for Cowboys traveling to Seattle

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Forgive Tony Romo for choosing to not overhype the importance of Dallas facing the defending champions.

With the schedule that lies ahead, including the next three games at home, whether the Cowboys can come in to Seattle and be the first non-NFC West team to win here since the 2011 season won’t ultimately determine the success of their season.

But the validity of starting 4-1 and legitimacy of whether the Cowboys are true contenders in the NFC would be strengthened by a win over the Seahawks.

“They’re as good as a test and we’re going to face them,” Romo said. “It’ll be a great atmosphere and it’ll be great to get there and play against them.”

The four consecutive wins by Dallas rank near the top among early-season surprises across the league. They’ve done it behind the running of DeMarco Murray, just the third running back in league history — and first since 1975 — to start the season with five straight 100-yard games.

It’s a strong start not many expected from Dallas.

Seattle (3-1) will play its only home game in a six-week span, coming off a short week following a Monday night win in Washington thanks to the wizardry of Russell Wilson. It’s now accepted that Wilson is going to pull off a trick or two and against Washington it was no different. He became the fifth player since 1970 with more than 200 yards passing and a touchdown and more than 100 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Wilson’s big night could have been part of a blowout win if not for Seattle’s penalty issues.

“I trust my instincts. I trust the guys working for me in the offensive line,” Wilson said. “If something is not there, then try to get something positive out of the play whether it’s throwing it away, whether it’s running for it or looking downfield and hitting someone downfield.”

Here’s what to watch as Seattle plays its second straight NFC East opponent:

DANGEROUS DeMARCO: Murray is on a record-setting pace that’s about to be tested by the best run defense in the NFL. Murray has 670 yards rushing through five games and has 210 more yards than the next closest running back. If there is a concern it could be overuse. He already has 130 carries.

“We like giving him the ball and he’s responded well to it,” Dallas coach Jason Garrett said.

SHERMAN VS. BRYANT: Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman didn’t hold Washington’s Pierre Garcon in the highest regard after last Monday’s game, saying, “he doesn’t matter.”

Sherman’s opinion of Dez Bryant is far different, with only compliments for the Dallas wide receiver.

“He’s up there. Dez is an incredible talent,” Sherman said. “Obviously his resume speaks for itself, but he does a great job getting open, playing the ball in the air.”

Most of the attention on Sherman this season has come from teams avoiding throwing in his direction. That’s why a matchup against Bryant could end up being a highlight. But Sherman wasn’t about to share any tips on trying to slow down Bryant.

“I’ll show you better than I can tell you,” he said.

McCLAIN AND COMPANY: If Rolando McClain can’t play because of a nagging groin injury, the Dallas defense could be in trouble. The former top 10 pick is proving to be a difference maker after coming out of retirement to fill a need when Sean Lee went down with a season-ending knee injury.

The league’s worst defense from a year ago has exceeded expectations with a big assist from McClain, but the Cowboys gave up 10 points in the final three minutes against Houston when McClain’s groin issue flared up and sent him to the sideline.

The Cowboys also will be without Bruce Carter for a second straight game with a strained quadriceps, putting more of the load on Justin Durant and rookie Anthony Hitchens. If McClain’s status is iffy, Korey Toomer could be active for the first time.

ROMO REMEMBERS: It’s nearly eight years in the past, but every return to Seattle for Romo rekindles the memories of one of the more notorious plays of his career: the botched hold on a 19-yard field goal attempt in the final moments of the NFC wild-card game in January 2007.

“I don’t remember negative things very much anymore. I kind of let those things slide by,” Romo said.

ALL ABOUT THE BALL: One reason Seattle had the best defense last season was the ability to create turnovers. The Seahawks led the NFL last season with 39 takeaways. So far this season, opponents aren’t being so gracious: Seattle has only three takeaways.

“We kind of got this feeling that they come in bunches so if we can get this thing going, it can really make a big difference cause we’re really playing without the turnover factor in our favor,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.

___

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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