When wide receiver Golden Tate was on the practice field Wednesday for the Detroit Lions, it was a good sign he might be able to play Sunday night vs. Pittsburgh. That indeed will be the case. Tate is active for the Lions.
Tate is just two weeks removed from a shoulder injury that forced him out of the New Orleans Saints game. The Lions had a bye last week, which came at the perfect time for Tate.
"Over this bye week I had a chance to get a lot of rest and my wife cooked really well," Tate said Thursday. "I'm 29, so I guess I'm considered young still, so I guess I can still heal up pretty quickly. But I don't know. First time I've dealt with this. I'm just trying to test myself and see where I am and see what adjustments need to be made."
Tate leads the Lions with 36 receptions for 363 yards and has two touchdowns through the first six games of this season. He recorded seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown before exiting the Saints game with the injury.
Tate was one of three players entering the game who were listed as questionable by the Lions. Also on that list were defensive end Ziggy Ansah and linebacker Paul Worrilow. Ansah is active. Worrilow, who's been dealing with a knee injury, is inactive.
The team already ruled out left tackle Greg Robinson, receiver Kenny Golladay and guard Emmett Cleary on Friday's injury report.
Starting in place of Robinson will likely be second-year tackle Brian Mihalik.
"I just go about my week and try to prepare as much I can no matter what the circumstances are," Mihalik said Wednesday. "It's a matter of getting down our techniques and getting our scheme and just feeling as comfortable as I can."
Second-year running back Dwayne Washington is active after missing the last four games with a quad injury.
Making his regular-season debut tonight will be second-year receiver Jace Billingsley. He was promoted to the active roster earlier this week from the practice squad. The Lions have five receivers active for the first time this season.
Joining Golladay, Robinson, Worrilow and Cleary on Detroit's inactive list tonight are: Running backs Tion Green and Zach Zenner and cornerback Teez Tabor.
