PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) -- Detroit coach Bobby Ross claims he doesn't read newspapers. But his players do, so Ross knew he'd better head off the question before it was asked.

Why don't the Lions ever beat the Washington Redskins?

The Lions (7-4) who play Washington (7-4) in a key NFC matchup on Sunday, are mired in an 18-game losing streak against the Redskins. Their last win over Washington was a 14-10 triumph at Tiger Stadium on Oct. 3, 1965.

"I knew the players would see that stuff in the papers, so I spoke to them about it early in the week," Ross said. "It's very unusual. Surprising, really."

The streak includes playoff losses in the 1982 and 1991 seasons. The Redskins went on to win the Super Bowl both times.

Championships, in fact, are a significant part of the history between these two old NFL clubs. Detroit, whose record is a paltry 8-26 in this rivalry, beat the Redskins twice in 1935 when the 'Skins called Boston home. That was the Lions' second year in Detroit and they went on to beat New York 26-7 for their first NFL championship that season.

"It's very odd, when you think about all the players who have played in all those games, down through the years," Detroit wide receiver Johnnie Morton said. "With all the turnover, I'll bet there are very few guys on either squad who even played in the last game."

That would have been a 30-7 Redskins' triumph in Washington. And not so surprising, considering the Lions are 0-17 during the regular season anywhere near the nation's capital.

In fact, the only time Detroit has ever defeated the Redskins on the road was when they played in Boston. The Lions won three times there, including those two 1935 games.

The most important recent meeting was the 1991 NFC championship game. It was the second meeting that season between them.

The Lions opened that season at RFK Stadium. Barry Sanders, who would rush for 1,548 yards in '91, sat out the game with a rib injury. It might not have mattered, however, as the Redskins romped 45-0.

Sanders was plenty healthy for the title game, but the outcome was much the same: Washington 41, Detroit 10. The Redskins held Sanders to 44 yards rushing on 11 carries that day.

The last time the teams met was Nov. 9, 1997, at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. The Redskins controlled the ball 40:03 in that 30-7 romp. That loss put a damper on another standout performance by Sanders. He rushed for 105 yards that day and moved into third place on the NFL's career rushing chart with 12,828 yards, surpassing Tony Dorsett.

Sanders, who now trails only the late Walter Payton in rushing, retired on the eve of training camp this season needing 1,458 yards to overtake Sweetness.

"I'll tell you one thing: It's nice to make a game plan for the Lions and not have to concern yourself with Barry Sanders," Redskins coach Norv Turner said. "No matter how hard you planned, there was almost nothing you could do if he got hot."

Washington's quarterback in that 1997 thrashing was Gus Frerotte, who today is the backup to Charlie Batch with the Lions. There is a chance Frerotte could start this game.

Batch, who missed the last three games with a sprained thumb, returned to practice this week, but looked a little rusty.

If he doesn't like what he sees in Batch, Ross said he would stay with Frerotte for one more game. Frerotte has two relief wins and a 1-2 record as the starter in Batch's absence.

"Well, Gus knows us," said Turner, who gave up on Frerotte. "I think we know Gus pretty well, too."

Either way, this should be one of the NFC's more interesting games this week.

The Lions are tied with Tampa Bay and Minnesota atop the NFC Central. Washington leads the NFC East. In addition, the winner of this game would hold a tiebreaker in the event both teams are seeking wild-card playoff berths at the end of the season.

"We've got the law of averages on our side," Ross said. "But, obviously, we've just got to line up and play.

"Sometimes, you have to watch the intangibles, the psychological, so to speak."

In other words, that peculiar losing streak.

WASHINGTON Season schedule and results

DETROIT Season schedule and results

September 12 Dallas L 35-41 September 19 @NY Giants W 50-21 September 26 @NY Jets W 27-20 October 3 Carolina W 38-36 October 17 @Arizona W 24-10 October 24 @Dallas L 20-38 October 31 Chicago W 48-22 November 7 Buffalo L 17-34 November 14 @Philadelphia L 28-35 November 21 NY Giants W 23-13 November 28 Philadelphia W 20-17 December 5 @Detroit 1:00pm ET December 12 Arizona 1:00pm ET December 19 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET December 26 @San Francisco 8:20pm ET January 2 Miami 4:15pm 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 W 31-27 November 14 @Arizona L 19-23 November 21 @Green Bay L 17-26 November 25 Chicago W 21-17 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.

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