Pittsburgh Steelers and 3 Other Teams Finally Rounding the Corner

Some teams are just slow starters. The San Diego Chargers have been the most notorious of these NFL tortoises. But much like the reptile in the fable, the Chargers often beat out the quick-starting hares to win the day.

In 2009, the Denver Broncos busted out of the gate with a 6-0 record. They followed up that fast start with a 2-6 record the rest of the way to finish the year at 8-8. That year, the Chargers were 3-3 after six games, but then won the rest of their games that year to finish at 13-3.

So which teams will be the Chargers of the NFL this year?

This slideshow will show which teams are rounding the corner this year. Make way, hares, it's time for the tortoises to take over.

The Pittsburgh Steelers Are Regaining Their Swagger

The Pittsburgh Steelers had back-to-back matchups with AFC South teams. This past Sunday, they stifled the young and struggling Jacksonville Jaguars. Two weeks ago, they pummeled the much tougher Tennessee Titans.

They are a tortoise ready to come alive after starting the year at 2-2.

Many pundits (notably Clark Judge of cbssports.com) thought that the Steelers aging defense was finally catching up to them after they were blown out by the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

Now that they have shown that they are still a defensive force in gritty wins against the Texans, Colts and Jaguars, the talk about the Steelers' age on that side of the ball seems disingenuous.

In addition, running back Rashard Mendenhall showed signs of life against the Jags last week in rushing for 146 yards. Mike Wallace is a stud in the passing game and will only be getting better as the year progresses.

Look for the Steelers to continue their winning ways to prove that they won't have a letdown after their Super Bowl loss this past February.

Tampa Bay Had a Hiccup Against the 49ers, but Are Now on Track Again

After getting owned by the San Francisco 49ers two weeks ago, the Buccaneers showed up hungry and ready to play for their home game against the New Orleans Saints this past Sunday.

The young Bucs put all phases of the game together nicely against the Saints. On defense, they harassed Drew Brees into three interceptions. Earnest Graham ran hard for 109 yards, and Josh Freeman played a quietly efficient game at quarterback.

Tampa Bay approached the cusp of the playoffs last year. This year, they are poised to take the next step under their enthusiastic head coach Raheem Morris.

Winning those tough NFC South games like they did last week shows that the Buccaneers have turned the corner this year.

Their rough game against the 49ers was a mere bump in the road. The Buccaneers can put away a shaky Chicago Bears team this coming Sunday and waltz into their bye week at a solid 5-2 record. 

The Oakland Raiders Are Ready To Make Noise in the AFC

The Oakland Raiders are primed to break out in 2011. They toughed it out in an emotional win (in the wake of Al Davis' death) against the Houston Texans two weeks ago. Then they beat the Cleveland Browns despite some sloppy play this past Sunday.

The Raiders have the pieces in place to end their run of futility. They have (arguably) the best running back in the league in Darren McFadden, and their speedy receivers can stretch the field.

Their defensive tackles get good pressure up the middle, and their secondary is solid.

Even with the loss of quarterback Jason Campbell due to a collarbone injury, the Raiders will still be a team to contend with the rest of the season.

Kyle Boller can be a good stop-gap measure at QB, and Terelle Pryor will provide a spark off the bench in special offensive packages.

Coach Hue Jackson has shown that he has a good handle on how to get his team to play well for him. They will continue to show that they are a force in the AFC West. At 4-2, they are well-positioned for a run to the playoffs this season.

The New York Jets Are Back on the Move in the AFC East

While the Jets certainly benefited from playing the absolute worst team in the NFL on Monday night, their dominating win over the Miami Dolphins showed that they are ready to turn their season around.

With two interceptions, five sacks and five forced fumbles, the Jets defense showed why it is one of the most feared in the NFL. In doesn't matter how bad the Dolphins are; that type of defensive showing is extremely impressive.

After a slow start to the game, the Jets offense got it together after a nice touchdown drive to end the first half. By going to tight end Dustin Keller over the middle, feeding Shonn Greene between the tackles and using LaDanian Tomlinson as a change-of-pace with a fullback blocker, the Jets offense had nice success in picking up small chunks of yardage.

If they can continue to stay safe most of the time with those types of plays, they can minimize the turnovers that killed them in their three losses earlier in the season. In addition, an effective running game and short passing game will open up big plays for the speedy Santonio Holmes downfield.

The Jets have San Diego coming to MetLife Stadium this coming Sunday. The Chargers are certainly much more competent than the free-falling Dolphins. However, I think this past Monday's game was just the dose of confidence that the Jets needed.

Their shaky offensive line played better and showed signs of coming together. Their defense is back to its opportunistic ways. If Mark Sanchez can avoid knuckle-headed turnovers, the Jets will once again be a tough out in the AFC East and a contender for the playoffs.

Gloria Estefan encouraged us to "turn the beat around" in her 1994 hit of the same name. The Steelers, Buccaneers, Raiders and Jets have heeded her words and are ready to turn the NFL upside down.

These tortoises will make their push to the playoffs to the joyful sounds of mid-1990s Latin pop music. Hares like the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and New England Patriots need to watch out.