NFL Week 11 Predictions: 4 Stars Sure to Crash and Burn on Sunday

The career of an NFL player is full of ups and downs. Nobody has a great performance each and every week, especially those with an erratic track record. Some players have seen more ups and downs than others, and you can almost predict when they are going to crash and burn.

I often feel the NFL is like a soap opera, due to all the story lines that emerge each and every week. This league is filled with so much drama that it is very tough to look away. It seems that drama follows some players more than others.

Sportswriters and the media love to cover the biggest failures. These stories tend to gain the most attention and fan reaction. Again, some players tend to be the focus more than others.

Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers is suffering through one of the worst stretches of his career.

He currently leads the NFL with 15 interceptions and just doesn't seem to be seeing the field.

His turnovers have really impacted his team. Rivers has made devastating mistakes at the most important points of the game.

These struggles are not going to get corrected overnight, and I am anticipating a rough day today.

Rivers and the Chargers take on the Chicago Bears, whose defense excels at creating turnovers.

An early interception could really hurt the confidence of Rivers.

He will likely face some added pressure, as he and Bears quarterback Jay Cutler have some bad blood.

These guys have had a history of some back-and-forth arguments. The last thing Rivers needs is to be distracted by his rivalry with Cutler.

Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals

Today is going to be a real struggle for Beanie Wells and the Arizona Cardinals offense.

Arizona is facing the San Francisco 49ers and their strong defensive unit. The 49ers excel at controlling the line of scrimmage and shutting down the opponent's rushing attack.

So far this season, the 49ers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher.

I don't anticipate that streak to end today, as Wells has recorded only one 100-yard rushing performance this season.

As a whole, the Cardinals have really struggled to find offensive consistency. The struggles in the running game are not aided by the Cardinals' average passing attack.

Wells is going to struggle to find any running room and may not top 50 yards rushing.

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo has earned the reputation of a player willing to take risks—some may say he is a gunslinger.

This playing style often results in some up-and-down performances.

Romo's season thus far has been filled with great games but also some costly mistakes.

Today's game against the Washington Redskins is a prime letdown game for Romo.

Washington has a good defense that likes to play aggressive. Romo could expect to see plenty of exotic blitz packages, which tend to force quick decisions.

Washington also features one of the game's most aggressive cornerbacks, DeAngelo Hall.

Hall loves to take risks, always looking to create a turnover. He definitely sees today as an opportunity to register an interception or two.

Romo needs to play within himself and always be aware of Hall. Any lapse in judgment will result in an interception.

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

This is the point in the season where NFL rookies start to hit the wall.

At this point last year, Cam Newton was wrapping up his college season and looking toward a bowl game.

However, the NFL season is just past the halfway point.

One the main reasons for a drop in performance is fatigue. It happens during the course of a game, and definitely during the course of the season.

Newton is going to have to fight through his fatigue in order to remain successful.

Today's game is going to be a tough matchup for Newton. He is facing a Detroit Lions team who is looking to erase the memory of last week's loss. 

They are going to come out angry, looking to inflict some pain. This Lions defense will bring a ton of pressure, as they look to make Newton uncomfortable.

I feel today is going to be Newton's worst game in his young career.