History favors the Lions

Washington dominates the all-time series history with Detroit, winning 27 of the 41 regular-season meetings and all three postseason contests. But the Lions have roared lately.

Detroit has won the last four meetings going back to 2009. That includes the first victory for Jim Schwartz’s Lions following the dismal 0-16 season in 2008. It was Matthew Stafford’s first career victory.

The following season, a 1-5 Lions team knocked off a 4-3 Redskins team that had won three of its last four. Detroit would follow up that win…by losing five in a row. Even a poor Lions team in the midst of a terrible stretch could handle a Washington team that was much better than the 2019 edition.

Detroit captured the last meeting in Washington back in 2013. The Lions survived a pick-six from DeAngelo Hall to prevail 27-20 in a game where both Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson topped 100 receiving yards.

The most recent matchup was in 2016, and it was a memorable one. Anquan Boldin capped off a frantic last-minute drive with an 18-yard TD reception from Stafford, putting the Lions ahead 20-17 after Kirk Cousins had just given Washington the lead with a long run around right tackle. It was one of eight game-winning drives authored by Stafford that season.