Golden Tate: Opponents know what plays Lions are going to run

Detroit Lions receiver Golden Tate says that opponents know some of the plays they are going to run

The Detroit Lions have started the 2015 NFL season with an 0-3 record and with things looking relatively dire. Their defense has suffered from the loss of Ndamukong Suh and others thus far, but the more surprising part of their early issues is that their offense has seemed inept for much of the year. Lions wide receiver Golden Tate thinks he knows why that’s the case.

Speaking with 105.1 Detroit Sports, Tate said that there have been a number of times this season when defenders have come up to him after plays and told him that they knew what play was coming. He went on to say that this has happened at least once in each of the team’s three games to this point.

Tate says that he doesn’t know what the Lions are doing to tip off opposing teams as to what play is about to be ran, but it’s something that was iterated by Denver Broncos safety David Bruton. After Bruton’s interception helped seal Denver’s Week 3 win, he told reporters that he recognized the package and knew what routes Detroit tended to run out of that package. As a result, he was able to sit on the coverage and jump the route by following Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford’s eyes.

Tate and Lions may not know what they’re doing to tip opposing defenses off, but they need to figure that out in fix it. Perhaps their offense is too simplistic in its current state or perhaps there’s some sort of tendency that they keep relying on that teams have identified. Whatever it is that is causing this problem, this season could get much worse than an 0-3 start for the Lions if this issue persists.

H/T to Uproxx Sports

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