Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Golden Tate are one of the best connections in team history with Stafford only completing more passes to Calvin Johnson. It is clear that Stafford is a bit disappointed that Tate was shipped off to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this week, but he knows it's part of the business and he is ready to take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
“The biggest thing for me is just moving forward with what we’ve got, and that’s all I can do,” Stafford said via The Detroit Free Press. “I try to go out there and prepare each week, whether somebody’s hurt or somebody’s traded, whatever it is, not available to play that week. ‘All right, let’s go be successful with what we’ve got.’ And this week is no different from that standpoint.”
Stafford completed 411 passes to Tate for almost 4700 yards and whenever Stafford needed to make a big throw, it was Tate that he turned to. Stafford said the Eagles are getting a good player and he has a ton of respect for him, but now it's time for some of the other wide receivers to step up and fill his shoes.
“Really good player, really good friend of mine, the whole thing,” Stafford said. “Got a ton of respect for him. I know the Eagles are getting a good player. I wish him the best, but at the same time I think it’s just on everybody (to replace him now). We’ve got a lot of weapons, we’ve got all that stuff, a ton of guys on offense that can make big plays for us. They do it probably a different way than he did, but I still think we can be very successful in what we want to do.”
The Lions have Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay who both should see even bigger roles with Tate off the team.
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