Trying to figure out some NFL teams is no simple matter. They lose when they ought to win and win when they ought to lose.
Which brings to mind the Buffalo Bills, four-time defending champions of the AFC and bidding for - deal with it, America - a fifth straight trip to the Super Bowl.So far in this topsy-turvy season, the Bills have beaten Miami and Kansas City, two of the teams trying to end their reign at the top of the AFC, and lost to Indianapolis and the New York Jets, two nothing-special clubs.
Today, Buffalo gets a chance to correct one of those mistakes, playing the Jets at New York.
In other games Sunday, Arizona is at Philadelphia; Chicago is at Tampa Bay; Detroit plays Green Bay at Milwaukee; Indianapolis is at Miami; New Orleans is at Minnesota; Pittsburgh is at Houston; San Diego is at Atlanta; San Francisco is at Washington; New England is at Cleveland; Cincinnati is at Seattle; Denver is at the Los Angeles Rams, and the Los Angeles Raiders are at Kansas City, 6 p.m. MDT. The New York Giants are at Dallas on Monday night.
The Bills said they were embarrassed by their season-opening loss at home to the Jets and now they get a chance to make amends. And speaking of trying to figure teams out, the Jets are no cinch, either.
New York opened with wins against the Bills and Denver, and just when it looked like something good might be brewing, the Jets lost three straight.
The Jets, two games behind Miami in the AFC East, are one of six teams who reached the halfway point in the season at 4-4. The others are Atlanta, two behind San Francisco in the NFC West; the Los Angeles Raiders, three back of San Diego in the AFC West; and three NFC Central teams - Chicago, Detroit and Green Bay - all two back of Minnesota.
That tangle of 4-4 teams in the NFC Central makes Sunday's game between the Lions and Packers crucial.
Green Bay impressed a lot of people by winning in the muck and mire of the Chicago monsoon last Monday night, and may have saved its season in the bargain. The Packers got a big game from their defense, which could cause problems for the Lions.
Detroit was anything but dominant against the New York Giants, winning on an overtime field goal. Still the Lions lead the league in rushing offense, with Barry Sanders over 1,000 yards for the season.
While the Lions and Packers battle each other to get over .500, the Bears would seem to have easier task, playing at Tampa Bay (2-6). Chicago switches to Steve Walsh at quarterback, replacing Erik Kramer.