Detroit Lions Postseason Grades: Wide Receiver
By Matt Urben
Golden Tate- 7th-year WR – Notre Dame
Grade: B+
91 Catches, 1,077 Yards, 4 TDs
Tate was primed for a breakout year in 2016, similar to his 2014 season – when he finished with 1,331 yards. He didn’t quite have the season many predicted with Calvin Johnson retiring, but he still surpassed 90 catches and over 1,000 yards. Tate got off to a very slow start, which makes his strong finish all the more impressive.
During Detroit’s eight comebacks, Tate was extremely valuable, particularly in the two Minnesota Vikings wins. Who can forget Tate flipping into the end zone for the win in overtime? The problem? Similar to Jones, Tate struggled with drops. Could some of these have been a result of Matthew Stafford’s overly powerful, laser-rocket arm, as Ty Finch suggested? Sure, they could, but four drops are too many for the normally sure-handed Tate. I still felt Tate was worthy of a B+ for making big plays in a Playoff season. Plus, 91 grabs is impressive in this league.