It's Week 9 NFL slow starters, and it's time to get the act together if the playoffs are in the future.
There are plenty of notable and surprising slow starters this season in the NFL—the Philadelphia Eagles almost immediately come to mind.
Philly started out 1-4 before winning its last two to acquire a respectable record at the midway point of 2011.
The Eagles are at home in Week 9, though, so it will be up to these three slow starters to break out on the road this weekend:
New York Jets Over the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are for real. At 5-2, they are leading the AFC East and in prime position to make the playoffs for the first time since I've been watching professional football.
Still, the New York Jets have too much talent to be sitting at 4-4 halfway through the season. I like the Jets in this game, as they will re-establish their running game and Plaxico Burress just long enough to keep Bills running back Fred Jackson on the sideline.
I'm not confident about this pick, but I've been waiting for the Jets to blast off, and this has got to be the week it finally happens.
Atlanta Falcons Over the Indianapolis Colts
In what will certainly be the cakewalk of the century, the 4-3 Falcons visit the winless Indianapolis Colts to potentially drop Jim Caldwell and company to 0-9 for the year—Ouch.
There is arguably no worse team in the league than the Colts right now, so how can Matt Ryan and the Dirty Birds fail on Sunday?
A win is almost a guarantee, and an explosion is definitely in the cards.
Chicago Bears Over the Philadelphia Eagles
Both teams are slow starters in this Week 9 Monday night matchup. Although the Eagles are on a roll as of late, expect the Bears to be ready to play.
Remember that last November Chicago roughed up Vick and forced him into countless turnovers at Soldier Field in a game the Bears 31-26.
With so much pressure on Philadelphia to play mistake-free for virtually the rest of the season if they hope to make the playoffs, watch for the Bears to play loose and well, beating the Eagles on their home field on their way to a 5-3 midseason record.
