Detroit @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 23, 2016 ) Washington 17, Detroit 20

The Detroit Lions have no idea if quarterback Matthew Stafford will make it back to the field this season, but it could be a moot point with the possibility that the team will be eliminated from playoff contention this weekend. The Washington Redskins already are looking to the future as they prepare to host the Lions on Sunday afternoon.

Stafford did not practice again Thursday and is expected to miss his third straight game due to small fractures in his back, even as he continues to say he will play when healthy. "It’s tough for me to sit there without the pads on and not be able to impact the game on the field the way I’m used to doing, so that’s driving me to get back out there," Stafford said. "And whenever we all deem it’s the right time for me to get back out there, I’ll be out there." While Detroit has lost three straight and six of seven, the Redskins are mired in a four-game slide and have turned the offense over to first-round pick Dwayne Haskins, who will make his third straight start. "Right now we’re losing, but I don’t plan on losing for long, and I want to win some football games," said Haskins, who will try to jump-start an attack that has been limited to nine points or fewer in five of the past seven games.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Lions -3.5. O/U: 41.5

ABOUT THE LIONS (3-6-1): Backup Jeff Driskel acquitted himself fairly well in last week's 35-27 loss to Dallas, throwing for 209 yards and a pair of touchdowns while rushing for 51 yards and a score on eight carries. Driskel has plenty of options in the passing game in wideouts Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr. and Danny Amendola, while Bo Scarbrough rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries just days after he was promoted from the practice squad. Defense has been a nightmare for the Lions, who rank 30th overall (412.8 yards) and against the pass (288.6 yards).

ABOUT THE REDSKINS (1-9): Washington came off its bye but still went down meekly in a 34-17 loss to the New York Jets, falling behind by 31 points before Haskins threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Running back Derrius Guice, playing for the first time since Week 1, hauled in a 45-yard scoring strike and rushed for 24 yards on seven carries, a workload that should increase this week in tandem with Adrian Peterson. Rookie Terry McLaurin leads the team with 35 receptions and five scoring passes. The Redskins are giving up 133.9 yards rushing per game.

EXTRA KICKS

1. Lions DE Trey Flowers had 4.0 sacks and five tackles for loss in the past four games.

2. Peterson has scored 12 touchdowns in 14 games against the Lions.

3. Detroit, which has won four straight in the series, has a league-low three interceptions.

PREDICTION: Lions 27, Redskins 20