Detroit Lions Players Comment on Win Over Saints
By Zac Snyder
Oct 19, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate (15) reacts during the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Golden Tate
On his performance today: “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 nine (Matthew Stafford) trusting in me. Some of those balls he kind of just threw up because he knew where I’d be. We just made plays, collectively. It wasn’t just me. (Corey) Fuller came up big and so did some other guys.”
On what sparked the offense in the second half: “We just started to be ourselves a few times and if we stay on schedule, I think we’re always going to be good enough. We have some playmakers on this team and we’re still getting some guys back from injuries, but if we just stay on schedule and do our job individually at the same time, the sky is the limit for this team. We have an endless amount of talent.”
On S Glover Quin’s late interception: “To the whole defense, those guys put some heat on one of the best quarterbacks in the League, one of the best offensive teams in the league and those guys fought to the very end, literally. We just came up big with a little bit of divine intervention, and the next thing we knew we’re 5-2.”
On if the team feels it needs to step up with the absence of WR Calvin Johnson: “We just had such a great camp and our coaches did a great job of us all getting reps. We strongly believe in next man up, so guys just have to step up. 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. We don’t have to do anything spectacular like Calvin. We just have to play fundamentally-sound ball and I think we were prepared. We were just prepared and it just showed that the game wasn’t over and you can’t win the game in the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter, but you can win it in the fourth quarter. This is a great example of that.”
On what the team said to each other to make sure it wasn’t out of it: “You know what? The funny thing is, and you can ask Joe Lombardi’s son, he sat by me and this kid is maybe 10 years old, and he said, ‘This is what’s going to happen, we’re about to get a stop, score quick, our defense will get a stop, and we’re going to win by one.” And that’s what happened. We just had it within us and at the end of the day, we just kept fighting. We have faith in the guys in this locker room and we just found a way.”
On how much momentum his touchdown grab gave the team: “You saw it, a lot. It wasn’t just me, we played collectively and it was a great, collective effort. Nine (Stafford) trusted the line and trusted me to make a play and I just found a way. I just dug deep and the next thing I knew, it was ballgame. We had a chance and what else could you ask for? That’s what this league is all about. That’s why it’s the most popular sports group in the world.”