Detroit @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2013 ) Detroit 21, Arizona 25

A pair of surprising division leaders square off when the red-hot Arizona Cardinals host the surging Detroit Lions on Sunday. Arizona has won five in a row but must go the rest of the way with backup quarterback Drew Stanton after starter Carson Palmer suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week's 31-14 victory over St. Louis. Stanton, who went 2-1 in three starts while subbing for an injured Palmer earlier this season, will face the team that selected him in the second round of the 2007 draft.

The Lions have won four straight to remain one game in front of Green Bay in the NFC North, but they have been walking a tightrope in winning their last three by a combined six points - all in come-from-behind fashion in the final minutes. “I just think that you can sense that they have a lot of poise,” Detroit coach Jim Caldwell said. “They don’t mind a little pressure, they know how to hang in and come from behind. Sixty minutes, whatever it takes, they’re willing to give it.” NFC West leader Arizona has won the past five in the series, including a 25-21 victory at Detroit last season.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Cardinals -1. O/U: 41

ABOUT THE LIONS (7-2): Detroit pulled out another last-minute victory last week, beating Miami 20-16 when Matthew Stafford tossed an 11-yard scoring pass to Theo Riddick with 29 seconds to play - Stafford's fourth TD pass in the fourth quarter in the past three games. Calvin Johnson returned to the lineup following a three-game injury absence and had seven catches for 113 yards and a score while fellow wideout Golden Tate continued his stellar season with his third straight 100-yard game and fifth in the past six. Injuries to Reggie Bush and Joique Bell continue to hamper a running game that ranks 31st in the league at 77.8 yards, but the Lions have compensated with the NFL's top-ranked defense, surrendering league lows in points (15.8) and total yards (283.4).

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (8-1): Stanton has only seven career starts and is completing a mere 49.5 percent of his passes this season, but he hasn't thrown an interception and threw a go-ahead touchdown pass with a 48-yard strike to rookie John Brown on his first possession last week. "Everyone has confidence in Drew," Arizona coach Bruce Arians said. "Nothing drops off." Stanton will look to Larry Fitzgerald, who had nine catches and went over 100 yards for the second time in three games, but the Cardinals need more consistent production from the ground game after Andre Ellington was limited to 23 yards on 18 carries. Defense has also been a strength for Arizona, which has registered an NFL-best 14 interceptions and is permitting 18.9 points - fourth in the league.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Stafford has the most passing yards in history (19,953) of any QB in his first 70 games.

2. Fitzgerald has at least one catch in 158 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league.

3. The Lions haven't won at Arizona since 1993, dropping their last seven in the desert.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 19, Lions 17