PONTIAC, Michigan (Ticker) -- After suffering their first loss of the season, the St. Louis Rams visit the Detroit Lions today in a battle of surprising first-place NFC teams.

After compiling a 9-23 record in their first two years under coach Dick Vermeil, the Rams became the surprise of the league this year, reeling off six wins to start the year.

Meanwhile, many predicted disaster for Detroit when superstar running back Barry Sanders, the NFL's second all-time leading rusher, suddenly announced his retirement before the start of training camp. Yet coach Bobby Ross has his team in sole possession of first place in the NFC Central, one game ahead of Green Bay.

Greg Hill, acquired by Detroit from the Rams to help compensate for the loss of Sanders, plays against his former teammates for the first time. He rushed for 123 yards on 16 carries in Detroit's 20-3 win over Tampa Bay last week.

Rookie Sedrick Irvin scored on a two-yard run and linebacker Allen Aldridge added a 21-yard fumble return in the win over Tampa Bay, Detroit's third straight victory.

The Rams won their first six games by an average of 25.7 points, but the combined record of their opponents was 7-27. Last Sunday, they met the first-place Tennessee Titans and suffered a 24-21 loss. St. Louis had a chance to send the game into overtime, but Jeff Wilkins missed a 38-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds.

Kurt Warner completed 29-of-46 passes for 328 yards, giving him four 300-yard games this season. Warner has thrown an NFL-best 21 TD passes and just three interceptions for St. Louis, which has a three-game lead in the loss column over San Francisco in the NFC West.

Last year, the Rams had a total of four TD passes through seven games.

Detroit's Charlie Batch has thrown 21 career touchdowns in 19 games. He has completed 55 percent of his passes for 1,286 yards and 10 touchdowns with seven interceptions this season.

"The one thing you really like about Charlie is that he's a playmaker," said Ross. "He'll make plays. The other thing you like is that he's a fighter. He's going to compete."

Running back Marshall Faulk is averaging 199 yards from scrimmage in St. Louis' last three games. He rushed for 90 yards on 16 carries and caught six passes for 94 yards last week at Tennessee.

The Rams have an NFL-high 31 touchdowns. The league record is 70 set by the 1984 Miami Dolphins.

St. Louis right tackle Fred Miller had his hands full with Titans left end Jevon Kearse last week. Today, he must contend with Robert Porcher, who leads the Lions with five sacks.

The Rams lead the series, 39-35-1, but the teams have not met since 1993.

ST. LOUIS Season schedule and results

DETROIT Season schedule and results

September 12 Baltimore W 27-10 September 26 Atlanta W 35-7 October 3 @Cincinnati W 38-10 October 10 San Francisco W 42-20 October 17 @Atlanta W 41-13 October 24 Cleveland W 34-3 October 31 @Tennessee L 21-24 November 7 @Detroit 1:00pm ET November 14 Carolina 1:00pm ET November 21 @San Francisco 4:15pm ET November 28 New Orleans 1:00pm ET December 5 @Carolina 1:00pm ET December 12 @New Orleans 1:00pm ET December 19 NY Giants 1:00pm ET December 26 Chicago 1:00pm ET January 2 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET

September 12 @Seattle W 28-20 September 19 Green Bay W 23-15 September 26 @Kansas City L 21-31 October 10 San Diego L 10-20 October 17 Minnesota W 25-23 October 24 @Carolina W 24-9 October 31 Tampa Bay W 20-3 November 7 St. Louis 1:00pm ET November 14 @Arizona 4:15pm ET November 21 @Green Bay 1:00pm ET November 25 Chicago 12:40pm ET December 5 Washington 1:00pm ET December 12 @Tampa Bay 1:00pm ET December 19 @Chicago 1:00pm ET December 25 Denver 4:15pm ET January 2 @Minnesota 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

Copyright 1999 STATS, Inc. Commercial distribution without the express written consent of STATS is prohibited.