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Detroit's Golden Tate was a terrific punt returner in Seattle, and has been highly elusive as a receiver this season. Should the Lions try him out on special teams?

(Melanie Maxwell | MLive.com)

ALLEN PARK -- Golden Tate has proven to be highly elusive in the open field in his first season with the Detroit Lions.

He already has 1,136 yards receiving -- sixth most in the league -- in large part because he leads everyone in yards after the catch. The guy is just tough to be bring down.

It's what made him one of the league's best punt returners during his time in Seattle.

Now with Jeremy Ross struggling to break off big returns, some are starting to wonder whether Detroit should stick Tate out there on punt returns.

We tackle that one to lead off this week's mailbag, as Detroit (8-4) prepares to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-10) on Sunday at Ford Field:

Q: Should the Lions consider using Golden Tate on punt returns instead of Jeremy Ross? Ross just isn't doing much, and Tate was pretty good on returns in Seattle, right? -- mik

A: It's interesting that you ask that, because this was a point of considerable discussion in the press room this week in Allen Park. There is definitely a camp for replacing Ross with Tate, but I just don't see it happening, nor do I think it should.

Tate, unquestionably, is one of the great punt returners in the league. In fact, he was ProFootballFocus' No. 1 punt returner last season. So I understand the allure here.

But at the same time, given how much he means to the Lions' offense, I don't think it's worth the injury risk to throw him back out there.

Ross, after all, is no slouch. He's actually PFF's third-ranked punt returner this year. He's averaging 9.3 yards per attempt. Tate, by comparison, averaged 11.5 yards per return last year with Seattle.

Tate is the biggest reason Detroit went 3-0 without Calvin Johnson. Without those wins, this is a sub-.500 team. Is it really worth risking him in the interest of that extra 2.3 yards? No way.

I'm not arguing that Ross is just as good as Tate on punt returns. He's not. Tate is much likelier to hit a home run, and those are the types of plays that can change a game.

For me, I just don't think what you'd gain with Tate outweighs what you'd lose if he were hurt on special teams. These things happen. Remember last year when Ryan Broyles ruptured his Achilles tendon in his first game returning punts? Just imagine the fallout that would occur if that were Tate being lost for the season.

Having said all that, here's an interesting thought: Would the Lions consider putting Tate on punt returns in the playoffs? Now that, I could get behind. Sure, you still risk injury. But it's also not a season's worth of reps, and the possibility of him breaking off a big one would be tantalizing in a do-or-die scenario.

Q: Are these the final 4 regular-season games for Reggie Bush as a Detroit Lion? Is he dependable enough to merit a 2015 roster spot? -- R.T. Eisenhart

A: This is a question I've addressed in various iterations throughout the season, but it also was the most-asked question this week, so I'll briefly hit it again.

With each passing week, I become increasingly convinced we are seeing the final days of Reggie Bush in Detroit.

He's never been a great between-the-tackles guy. He's never been a very consistent runner. He's a boom or bust guy. And there is no more boom.

Bush has just two runs all season of longer than 8 yards. Sure, he's been hurt for most of the past two months. But he also turns 30 in March, which means he's not likely to remain healthy in the future either.

Joique Bell is just a better fit for this team. He's a north-south guy who is unafraid of contact. He's developed a penchant for making the first guy miss, and is unafraid of taking on a tackler and falling forward. He's much better than Bush at picking up positive yardage, even when nothing's there. And given this offensive line, there's not likely to be a lot there.

The Lions already have Theo Riddick as a natural successor to Bush as their pass-catcher out of the backfield. I'd argue he's already better at it than Bush. And he does it at a much cheaper rate.

Bush is a $5.2 million cap hit, and cutting him costs $2 million. That's a lot of money that could be moved elsewhere. Say, defensive tackle?

Q: What do you think about the Lions playoff chances? I say Super Bowl champions and 12-4 record. -- @lp4lper

A: I don't know what you're drinking, but please remember to call an Uber when you're done. You really shouldn't drive in your condition.

Q: Who is the one player the Lions could not afford to lose for the rest of the season? I say it's Suh. -- danpery

A: You'll get no argument from me. Calvin Johnson remains this team's best player, but I think Suh is its most indispensable.

This is an average offensive team, even with Johnson. It beats people with defense. And especially its rush defense, which forces every offense it faces to become one-dimensional.

Take away Suh, and all that unravels.

Detroit is No. 1 against the run and No. 1 in points allowed. Where would it rank without Suh? Probably somewhere near the middle of the pack. And given the offense, with or without Johnson, that's a .500 team at best.

Johnson is a transcendent talent. But Suh is just more important to the makeup of this team.

Q: What are your December predictions for the Lions? -- Eric Bowman

A: Win a low-scoring affair against Tampa Bay, blow out Minnesota, edge the Bears in Chicago and lose at Lambeau.

Lose the division, but eke into the playoffs at 11-5.

I'm not exactly going out on a limb, I know. Those are the safe picks. But they are the safe picks for a reason. The Bucs and Bears are a mess, Detroit already tore apart Minnesota once and it hasn't won in Green Bay since I was 5 years old.

Eventually the Lions will win in Green Bay (I think). But I'm not making picks on eventually. The Packers are the best team in football and they own Detroit at home. Not picking against that, unless something drastic happens between now and Dec. 28.

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