How hard is it to pick winners -- especially against the point-spread -- in the National Football League these days?

Consider that, two weeks ago, the Bills racked up 54 points in a win at Kansas City, then returned to Buffalo and were able to score only 3 in losing to the floundering 49ers, 10-3, last Sunday. The Chiefs, after falling to 1-10 following their 54-31 loss to the Bills, traveled to Oakland and beat the Raiders last Sunday, 20-13. Only the week before, the Raiders had won big at Denver, 31-10. The Broncos then went on the road and beat the Jets at the Meadowlands, 34-17, last Sunday. What made that game even more surprising is that the Jets were leading the AFC East at 8-3 and, only the week before, had handed the Tennessee Titans their first loss of the season, in Nashville, 34-13.

Seems about the only sure thing these days is that the Lions will lose. And probably the Bengals and Rams, too.

And how about the 2-10 Seahawks, who host the Patriots this weekend? Well, they've lost five in a row -- the latest a 34-9 pasting at Dallas on Thanksgiving Day -- so you have to like the Pats' chances, especially since they're playing for a playoff spot while Seattle is just playing out the string.