NFL Week 11 Picks: San Diego Chargers and More Teams That Will Keep Declining

The ebb and flow of this most unpredictable of NFL seasons has proven to be cruel to a number of teams with once-burgeoning playoff dreams.

For these three squads in particular, the hope of playing in the Super Bowl in Indianapolis has given way to more immediate concerns, like, say, staving off de facto elimination just 11 weeks into the season.

San Diego Chargers

That old adage about the Chargers being a talented but inconsistent squad has given way to the reality of a team that just isn't very good anymore. Among other things, Philip Rivers has been ineffective, Antonio Gates is a shell of his former self and, more importantly, the Bolts are losing the majority of the battles in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

Those deficiencies have come to light, in a rather abrupt way, over the four weeks, during which San Diego has suffered defeat each time out.

And wouldn't you know it, the Chargers have a date with the hottest team in football, the Chicago Bears, on tap for Week 11. If Jay Cutler and Matt Forte don't find a way to generate points against the Chargers' suspect defense, then Devin Hester will most certainly do his best to reach the end zone once or twice against a notoriously bad special teams unit.

Which is to say, the Chargers are screwed, even if a loss doesn't drop them out of contention in the atrocious AFC West.

Buffalo Bills

The midnight hour has arrived all too early for the Buffalo Bills, turning their surprising, horse-and-carriage start into the reality of a 1-3 record in their last four games, and a 2-4 record in their last six.

Apparently, giant pumpkins aren't as easily to circle as wagons are.

Unfortunately for the Bills, they may be stuck with a rotten pumpkin after signing Ryan Fitzpatrick to a six-year, $59 million extension in late October. The "Fitz-Magic" has disappeared since that 4-1 start, with the once-star quarterback throwing for more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (six) as his team has dropped three of its last four.

Surely, what little of it that was left was stomped out of existence by the Dallas Cowboys last Sunday, 44-7.

Two weeks ago, a road date in Miami against the Dolphins might've seemed like easy pickings for a Buffalo team in desperate need of some good news.

Now, the Fins seem to have their swagger back after winning their last two tilts and are poised to exploit the Bills' middle-of-the-road defense and their now-moribund offense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers were last year's Bills/Lions/Bengals, but now appear to be more like, well, this year's Buccaneers.

Whatever that means, which is to say, a young, promising team that's now playing more to its age than its ability. Tampa Bay has played mistake-filled football since early October, dropping four out of its last five games to fall to 4-5 on the season.

I wish I could say things will get better for Josh Freeman and company, but they won't—not this week, anyway. The Bucs have the unenviable task of taking on the undefeated Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, with a 37-9 non-effort against the Texans sitting on Tampa's resume.

Surely, Albert Haynesworth will be able to get pressure on Aaron Rodgers...right?

Riiiiiiiiiight.