By Michael Stets
ALLEN PARK–Monday Night Football has not been kind to the Detroit Lions, who are 3-5 on Monday nights since 2011 and 14-18 overall. Their last win on MNF came in 2014 against this week’s opponent, the New York Giants.
On Thursday afternoon, Golden Tate said the team is more focused on the task at hand rather than their lack of success in prime time games.
“We want to go out and give ourselves the best shot to win every single game,” Tate said. “I don’t think we look at the historical part of it. We just look at it as another opportunity–an opportunity to get to 2-0 on the road, which is tough to do. Winning road games is tough to do, but not impossible. I think with the personnel we have and the coaching staff we have and the support we have from our city, I think it’s very possible. We just have to go out and play ball with these guys.”
The Giants showcase one of the best secondaries in the NFL, featuring All-Pro safety Landon Collins, and cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who held Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant to two catches for 43 yards in Week 1. In last season’s Week 15 matchup between the two teams, the Lions did not score a touchdown and lost 17-6. However, Tate did turn in a very productive outing with eight receptions for 122 yards.
When asked how the Lions’ receivers stack up against the Giants’ secondary, Tate gave praise to the players nicknamed “NYPD” (New York Pass Defense).
“The Giants’ secondary, they are fantastic,” said Tate, who had 10 receptions for 107 yards in the Lions’ Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals. “Last year, they had I think around 12 turnovers between picks and fumbles (In 2016, the Giants had 33 turnovers). So they are a very dangerous group of guys, a very, very good team, a lot of savvy vet guys there. We are definitely going to have to be on our game. We can’t come out there flat like we did last week. Who doesn’t want a challenge? It’s going to show what type of man we have in this locker room and I’m excited about it.”
Does a matchup against a secondary like the Giants bring out the competitor in him more so than other games?
“I would say your focus is a little bit–not that we’re not focused–but your focus is a little more detailed knowing you are going against a defense and a secondary that is considered the best or one of the best. We feel like, in order for us to win this game, the receivers are going to have to show up at some point throughout that game and so that is the challenge we are taking.”
The receivers all played well against the Cardinals last week, especially rookie Kenny Golladay, who scored two touchdowns. The second touchdown was an incredible catch, which saw the third-round draft pick out of Northern Illinois dive and fully extend every inch of his six-foot-four frame to haul in a 45-yard rope from Matthew Stafford. Tate said Golladay is a “dangerous player,” and a “game breaker type of guy.” The eight-year veteran is happy to have Golladay on the team and said opposing secondaries are going to have their hands full trying to cover the rookie, himself, and Marvin Jones among the other pass catchers on the Lions’ offense.
“To me, you have to pick your poison. Who are you going to double cover? Me, Marv [Marvin Jones], Theo [Riddick], [Kenny] Golladay, Ameer [Abdullah], [Eric] Ebron, [Darren] Fells, pick your poison. So we are excited about it.”