AP PhotoASHBURN, Va. (AP) - Here's an obscure bit of trivia: Only once in NFL history have Detroit, Washington, Tampa Bay and Tennessee all made the playoffs in the same year. It was in 1999.
So when all four teams held shares of first place in their respective divisions three weeks ago, they were deemed part of a fresh wave of rising teams. At one point, the Lions were 5-0. The Redskins, Buccaneers and Titans all reached 3-1.
Not so fast. Since then, they are a collective 1-8.
It's a lesson to be learned: Teams searching for a winning identity are often haunted by the ghosts of losing pasts.
Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said he knew there were going to be some rough spots. He said it's now time for his team to persevere.
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