September 6th, 2012 
Matt Loede 
Posted in ST. LOUIS (2-14) At DETROIT (10-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m., FOX
OPENING LINE – Lions by 10
RECORD VS. SPREAD – St. Louis 3-12-1; Detroit 7-8-2
SERIES RECORD – Rams lead 42-39-1
AP PRO32 RANKING – Rams No. 29, Lions No. 13
LAST MEETING – Lions beat Rams 44-6 on Oct. 10, 2010
RAMS OFFENSE – OVERALL (31), RUSH (23), PASS (30)
RAMS DEFENSE – OVERALL (22), RUSH (31), PASS (7)
LIONS OFFENSE – OVERALL (5), RUSH (4), PASS (29)
LIONS DEFENSE – OVERALL (23), RUSH (22), PASS (23)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES – Jeff Fisher makes Rams coaching debut against one of his proteges, Detroit’s Jim Schwartz, a Titans assistant from 1999-2000 and Fisher’s defensive coordinator from 2001-08. … Fisher trying to do what Schwartz seems to have done. Rams 15-65 past five years, giving them lowest winning percentage (.188) over five-season span since 1970 merger. Lions had third- and fifth-lowest rates of success from 2005-09 and 2006-10, according to STATS LLC before winning 10 games last season and making playoffs last year in Schwartz’s third season. … Detroit QB Matthew Stafford and St. Louis QB Sam Bradford were No. 1 overall picks in 2009 and 2010, respectively, and hope to stay healthy after being hit with injuries early in careers. … Rams RB Steven Jackson has run for franchise-best 9,093 yards and has averaged NFL-best 114.7 yards from scrimmage since 2006 among players with at least 60 games. … Detroit scored franchise-record 474 points last season, averaging nearly 30 ppg, with Stafford and All-Pro WR Calvin Johnson leading pass-heavy offense. … Johnson, Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Lance Alworth are only players in NFL history with at least 12 TD receptions in three of first five seasons. … St. Louis made splash in free agency, giving former Titans CB Cortland Finnegan $50 million, five-year contract. … Lions DE Cliff Avril one of six players in league history with at least 10 sacks along with TDs off a fumble and interceptions in a season. … Detroit K Jason Hanson has NFL-record 2,016 points with one team. … Rams LB James Laurinaitis led team in tackles for third straight year last season.
