NFL Week 9 Predictions: Projecting Defenses Sure to Be Slaughtered

A poor defense becomes a bigger and bigger liability as the season wears on. While a good defense may not win you a championship, a bad one can certainly keep any hopes for postseason success low. Three teams this week are going to struggle, and those struggles will hinge upon a weak defensive showing.

The Indianapolis Colts have the 32nd-ranked defense, allowing an average of 403 yards per game, while its own offense has managed to average just 295 yards per game. That's clearly a formula for disaster for any team, and it's going to be double the liability for the Colts this week when the Atlanta Falcons come around.

Granted, the Falcons aren't as stout an opponent as some of the other teams around the NFL, but with the way the Colts defense has been playing, they can make any offense look like world-beaters.

With a number of offensive powerhouses on their roster, including wide receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones, tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner, complimenting quarterback Matt Ryan, it's going to be another long 60 minutes of football for the winless Colts and their poorly-coached defense.

The Seattle Seahawks' defense is similarly weak, but that weakness comes primarily against the pass. That's not good news this week, as the team hosts the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon, a team coming off of a demoralizing 34-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8.

Dallas will be playing with a lot of anger and aggression, and should take advantage of Seattle's secondary early and often.

Quarterback Tony Romo, receivers Dez Bryant and Miles Austin (among others) and tight end Jason Witten will look to attack Seattle's defense with every possession in an attempt to get their season back on track, again.

The San Diego Chargers, on the other hand, don't have that weak of a defense against either the run or the pass, but they are hosting the league-leading Green Bay Packers offense this Sunday, which is enough to make almost any defense crumple in response.

The secret to the Packers offensive attack lies first with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, with a major assist going to his offensive line.

With time, he is able to make all manner of throws, long or short, simple or difficult, and his many talented and fast receivers are able to get separation from their defenders and rack up reception after reception.

Indeed, the Packers offense makes winning look easy, and in turn, they make even the most talented defensive squads appear worse than they are. While the Chargers aren't the Colts, defensively or otherwise, the Packers will likely do their best to make it look as though they were.