Strange start to NFL season

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By now, a month into the NFL season, the wheat is usually distinguishable from the chaff. Not this year, though. So many contenders have had chaff-like moments, it's hard to tell who's Really Good. Consider:

The Seahawks got blasted 37-6 by the Bears.

The Bengals were waxed 38-13 by the Patriots.

The Eagles blew a 24-7 fourth-quarter lead to the Giants.

The Giants were down 42-3 to the Seahawks.

The Patriots' offense couldn't do anything in a 17-7 loss to the Broncos.

Neither could the Steelers' offense in a 9-0 loss to the Jaguars.

But then Jacksonville turned around and gave up 36 points to the Redskins -- after the Redskins' offense had managed only a field goal against the Cowboys.

Here's my favorite, though: Since that 42-3 lead against the Giants, Seattle has been outscored 64-6.

I wouldn't want to be a Super Bowl handicapper right now. Even the Colts and Ravens, two of the three undefeated teams left, seem lacking in gravitas. Indianapolis, which led the league last year in blowouts, has won three of its four games by a touchdown or less -- and only survived a last-second lateral-fest by the Jets on Sunday because the Stanford Band wasn't there to run interference. Even more telling: The Indy defense is allowing 155 rushing yards a game.