In Absence Of Johnson, Tate Stepping Up
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
FORD FIELD (CBS DETROIT) - Detroit Lions superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson has missed two games with injury this season, and in those games the Lions have a record of 2-0.
The team's stout defense deserves much of the credit, but so does wide receiver Golden Tate.
Tate came through with a game-changing play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, hauling in a pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford, making his singular stop-and-start moves to shake defenders, and ultimately taking the ball 73 yards to the end zone.
The play - which included 65 yards after the catch - gave the Lions life, and they went on to win, 24-23.
"He's obviously stepped up," Stafford said. "That play he made on that long touchdown is as good of a play as I've seen in a long time, the catch into the stand-still. I basically threw him a ball up. He was hot and calling for it, wanted it, and [I] gave him a chance on a ball. He came back and caught it, [and] he did the rest."
Tate finished Sunday's game with 10 catches for 154 yards - both career highs for the fifth-year player.
"We had a great game plan, and Coach Lombardi did a great job of finding ways to get me open, and it came down to just [Stafford] trusting in me," Tate said. "Some of those balls he kind of just threw up because he knew where I'd be."
While Johnson has only missed two games, he has been at less than full capacity for four games - against the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings and Saints. Stafford has only been able to throw to Johnson three times in that four-game span.
Stafford appears to have embraced Tate as his new go-to guy, targeting him at least nine times in each of the last four games. Tate has justified Stafford's confidence, racking up an average of 112 yards per game over that stretch.
"Everyone made this team for a reason, so when our number is called, we have to show up and make plays that we're supposed to make," Tate said. "We don't have to do anything spectacular like Calvin. We just have to play fundamentally sound ball, and I think we were prepared."
The team wants Johnson back as soon as possible, of course, but in the meantime, the group was energized to get a win despite his absence.
"That's a good feeling," Raiola said. "That's a good feeling to do it without the best in the world. He knows that he's missed, and we'll be that much better when he gets back."