Dallas Cowboys vs. Detroit Lions Ten In-Depth Observations

Jan 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) catches a pass over Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) and Barry Church (42) during the fourth quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoff Game at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

6. Although the Cowboys did a great job of making sure that neither Calvin Johnson nor Golden Tate went off on them yesterday, both receivers still did some damage. Tate caught six passes for 89 yards and a touchdown on nine targets, while Megatron had five receptions for 85 yards on eight targets with some really nice moves against Brandon Carr to boot. The Cowboys safeties didn’t give up an inch on deep passes, and Johnson had to use his deft cuts in order to average 17 yards per reception. That’s a big number, but the Cowboys made sure he didn’t make any truly big plays (they definitely know what he is capable of).

Tate was at the heart of some of the Lions best plays, including Bush’s run, but he really gave the Cowboys a scare after scoring a 51-yard catch-and-run on the opening drive after absorbing a wicked hit from Cowboys special teamer C.J. Spillman, who made two big plays yesterday. Throughout the game, Tate did an excellent job of creating separation on crossing routes, and he mainly operated as the possession guy underneath after that huge touchdown catch, which was due to his YAC (it also came on an intermediate route over the middle). The Cowboys took away the deep ball against the Lions, but Tate did a nice job of showing off his well-rounded ability as a receiver.

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