FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It’s no surprise that the New England Patriots lead the NFL in scoring.

In the past four seasons, they’ve done that twice and finished third twice.

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Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, center, who will be going after New England’s Tom Brady on Sunday, leads a tough Detroit defense that has allowed the fewest yards in the league. The Associated Press

But the Detroit Lions allowing the fewest points? Now there’s a surprise.

In the past seven seasons, they gave up the most points three times. In their stingiest season in that period, they were in the middle of the pack, allowing only the 15th fewest.

On Sunday, quarterback Tom Brady leads his prolific offense against tackle Ndamukong Suh and his stout defense.

“He’s a phenomenal player,” Brady said of Suh. “He’s a big, physical presence, and I think he really sets the tone for that defense.”

Defensive end Ziggy Ansah has 41/2 sacks and three forced fumbles in the past five games. Linebacker DeAndre Levy has 10 or more tackles in seven games this season. The Lions have allowed the fewest yards in the league, and the secondary is the main reason they’ve given up the fifth-fewest passing.

But the Lions (7-3) haven’t faced an offense such as the Patriots (8-2).

“Obviously, (Brady’s) been doing some great things like he always does,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “They are a very surgical sort of a procedure, where he’s throwing the ball accurately, getting it to all of his playmakers and putting points on the board.”

The AFC East-leading Patriots have averaged 40.5 points in winning their past six games and 32.3 for the season.

The Lions, tied for first in the NFC North with Green Bay, have given up more than 20 points just three times and never more than 24. Opponents have averaged 15.6.

Now they’ll see what they can do against Brady.

“I wouldn’t say I get extra excited,” Suh said, “but I’m always excited to go against any type of quarterback and have an opportunity to have success against them.”

Coach Bill Belichick knows the Patriots will have a huge challenge trying to stop Suh and the defense.

“He’s the marquee guy, but they have a lot of good players on that front,” Belichick said. “They rotate frequently and they’re fresh and they’re active, very disruptive.”

The Lions have been inconsistent on offense. Their 18.8 points per game are seventh-fewest in the NFL. But Caldwell wouldn’t blame that on the absence of wide receiver Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, who missed three games with an ankle injury before making 12 catches in the past two games.

“We don’t make any excuses,” Caldwell said. “There have been some times we’ve been up and down a little bit, but haven’t been able to put a complete game together.”

With Johnson back and Golden Tate having 68 catches, third most in the league, quarterback Matthew Stafford has his top options.

“Golden Tate has really taken off this year,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty said. “You put that together with a guy like Stafford who can throw the ball to him any way possible, it’ll be a tough task.”

The Lions have won four games by no more than seven points.

Their past three wins have come by 1, 1 and 4 before a 14-6 loss to Arizona last Sunday.

“If you don’t know how to close out a game and find ways to get that done,” Suh said, “you are going to lose quite a bit of them.”

The Patriots have had plenty of breathing room with five wins by at least 22 points.

“The final score might not end up being close,” Brady said, “but there is a point in the game where the game is really close, and we’ve found ways to make the plays to kind of pour it on.”

GIANTS: The New York Giants signed linebacker Justin Anderson from their practice squad and have waived offensive tackle Charles Brown.

The Giants announced the moves on Saturday, a day before their game with the Dallas Cowboys.

Anderson was added to the Giants active roster last weekend and played on special team against the 49ers.

He was waived on Monday when offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz was activated off injured reserve and re-signed to the practice squad.

BRONCOS: Julius Thomas is hurting but Virgil Green is on the mend.

Both are listed as questionable for Sunday’s showdown with the Miami Dolphins (6-4).

Thomas leads the league with a dozen TD catches but he was unable to practice Friday after showing up with helmet in hand and every intention of working through the sprained left ankle he sustained in St. Louis last week.

Green, the team’s best blocking tight end, expects to return to the lineup this weekend after missing three games with a strained right calf, which happens to coincide with the offensive line’s nosedive.

• Denver shuffled its backfield on the eve of the Miami game, promoting. Jeremy Stewart from their practice squad and waived rookie Kapri Bibbs.

Stewart gives the Broncos’ backfield more experience with Ronnie Hillman (foot) and Montee Ball (groin) sidelined. The other two backs are C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson.

Stewart is a third-year pro from Cal who appeared in 17 games during his first two NFL seasons in Oakland.

WIDE RECEIVER Ricardo Lockette of the Seattle Seahawks has been fined $10,000 by the NFL for striking an opponent in the head.

Lockette was ejected from last Sunday’s game at Kansas City for hitting Chiefs defensive back Kurt Coleman after Coleman shoved him in the back.

FALCONS-PANTHERS: Atlanta receivers Roddy White and Devin Hester each were fined $8,268 for their role in a scrap with the Carolina Panthers in the third quarter last Sunday. Hester dived headfirst into a pile trying to knock Panthers cornerback Josh Norman off teammate Harry Douglas. White struck another player in the head area.

Douglas got the same $8,268 fine for pulling down Norman by the facemask.

Panthers safety Roman Harper was docked the same amount for unnecessary roughness when he hit Hester.

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