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Washington Football Rewind: Relive Alex Smith’s miracle return to NFL

By Ethan Cadeaux

Washington Football Rewind: Relive Smith’s miracle return originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

The Washington Football Team dropped its fourth consecutive game this past Sunday, falling to a much better Los Angeles Rams team, 30-10.

However, the main storyline following the game had little to do with Washington’s overall lack of success.

Late in the second quarter, Washington quarterback Kyle Allen suffered an arm injury, one he would not return from. With Allen sidelined, 36-year-old QB Alex Smith took the field for the first time in 23 months, completing one of the most incredible sports injury recoveries you will ever see.

On Tuesday at 6 p.m., NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay, Brian Mitchell and Jordan Giorgio will break down Smith’s return, plus a few other notable moments from Sunday’s contest against the Rams on Washington Football Rewind.

Can’t get enough of the Washington Football Team? Don’t miss Washington Football Rewind vs. the Rams Tuesday night at 6 p.m., right after Washington Football Today with Julie Donaldson. Replay the game with additional commentary from Jordan Giorgio, Brian Mitchell and JP Finlay, only on NBC Sports Washington, Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Here are three storylines to look out for…

1. Alex Smith’s return

As stated above, Smith’s return to the field was by far the biggest storyline to come out of Washington’s matchup on Sunday. Heck, even former United States President Barack Obama showed his support for the QB.

Smith’s recovery is simply remarkable. He needed 17 surgeries to recover from a gruesome leg injury he suffered in November of 2018 and wore a metal fixator on his leg for months. For Smith, being able to walk again without limitations was already a tremendous success. Now, he’s back to playing in an NFL game. Incredible.

Smith’s return to the field did not have a Hollywood ending, however. The quarterback was sacked six times in his return and the offense scored just three points on drives he played. The Rams defense had their way with Washington, both when Smith was playing and when he wasn’t.

On Washington Football Rewind, the crew will break down how Smith looked in his return to action.

2. How did Kyle Allen look?

Entering Washington’s Week 5 matchup, the biggest thing fans were wondering was how would Kyle Allen look replacing Dwayne Haskins? Earlier in the week, head coach Ron Rivera promoted Allen to the starting role, relegating 2019 first-rounder Dwayne Haskins to third-string just four games into the season.

Allen led four Washington drives before he was forced to leave the game with an injury. Three of those ended the same way many drives Washington has had this season: punts. 

Yet, Allen did lead Washington on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by a seven-yard TD run by the quarterback himself. It was one of the most impressive drives from Washington this season.

Postgame, Rivera stated Allen would continue to be Washington’s starting quarterback moving forward, as long as he is healthy.

On Washington Football Rewind, Mitchell, Finlay and Giorgio will discuss how Allen fared in his first game as Washington’s starter and speak on what the 24-year-old can improve moving forward.

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3. What’s wrong with Washington’s defense?

For the fourth straight week, Washington’s defense allowed 30 or more points. Not coincidentally, the Burgundy and Gold dropped their fourth consecutive contest by double-digits.

The hiring of Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was expected to improve a defense from a year ago that had plenty of talent but was used in a poor system. After an incredible Week 1, Washington’s defense has been unimpressive, to say the least.

Mitchell, Giorgio and Finlay will break down Washington’s defensive woes, highlighting what they believe are the main causes of the lack of success from the unit.

Make sure to tune in to Washington Football Rewind, you won’t want to miss it!

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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