Cardinals vs. Lions preview: Stats, history, connections and milestones

The Arizona Cardinals take on the Detroit Lions. It is a big game, to say the least. Let's take a look at some of the background to both teams.

Stats:

Arizona holds the edge offensively. They average nearly 25 points per game, which is good fro 12th in the league. Detroit averages just over 20 points per game, good for 24th.

Detroit, though, holds an edge in yardage. Arizona averages 330 yards a game and Detroit averages 340. Neither team rushes the ball well. Arizona gains on average under 84 yards and Detroit almost 78 per game. Arizona averages over 247 yards per game and the Lions over 262.

Defensively, Detroit is a bit better by the numbers. The Lions are number one in yardage allowed, giving up under 284 yards per game. They give up under 72 yards per game on the ground, which is second best in the NFL, and 212 yards in the air, third best.

Arizona is 15th in total yardage allowed -- almost 353. They are polar opposites against the pass and against the rush. They are allowing under 79 yards per game on the ground, which is third best in the league. They are second-to-last against the pass, allowing over 274 yards  per game.

Arizona has been one of the best in football in turnover ratio. They are a +12 on the year. Detroit is +2.

Arizona has forced 12 turnovers in the fourth quarters of game and have scored 91 fourth quarter points.

History:

We have a more comprehensive piece on the two teams here.

In the all-time series, Detroit leads 31-26-5. However, the Cardinals have won the last five matchups and 10 of the last 13. This is the third season in a row in which Detroit comes to Arizona to play.

They last played in 2013 in Week 2. Arizona won 25-21 with a fourth quarter comeback and a clutch fourth town tackle by Tyrann Mathieu.

Detroit was also Arizona's only win after Week 4 in 2012 -- the disaster of a season.

Connections:

Only two players on either team has played for the other. One is Arizona linebacker Larry Foote. He played for the Lions in 2009 (he chose to sign with Detroit instead of Arizona that offseason).

The other is Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton, who was drafted by the Lions in the second round in 2007.

There are many coaches connections, but the biggest is Detroit DC Teryl Austin, who was a defensive assistant on the Cardinals Super Bowl squad.

Milestones:

If running back Andre Ellington gains 86 yards from scrimmage, he will reach 1000 yards for the season, becoming only the second player in team history to do so in his first  two NFL seasons. Ottis Anderson was the other.

Of rookie receiver John Brown catches a touchdown pass, he would become only the second rookie in team history to have six TD catches in their first 10 games. Fran Polsfoot is that other player.

With one sack, Calais Campbell will pass Bertrand Berry on the all-time franchise list for sacks in a career. He would also tie teammate Darnell Dockett.

With eight yards receiving, Larry Fitzgerald will become the second-youngest player to reach 12,000 receiving yards. Randy Moss was the youngest. With a touchdown pass to go along with the eight yards, he would become only the 10th player in NFL history to have 90 TD catches and 12,000 yards receiving in a career.

With one point, kicker Chandler Catanzaro will set the team rookie record for points in a season with 74.