Matthew Stafford: Detroit Lions "tougher" to defend without Calvin Johnson

DETROIT, June 22 (UPI) -- For the last decade, opposing defensive backs likely wished they weren't facing a man nicknamed "Megatron."

This season, defenders will have their wish, but Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford claims his team will be harder to defend minus Calvin Johnson.

"I think we're going to do it a little bit differently than we have in the past," Stafford said on Sirius XM NFL Radio. "Obviously we used to feature Calvin and everybody kinda got there's after that. It's gonna, I think, be tougher for defenses in a certain way that they don't know who we're going to. There's no guy to key in on. We're probably just going to spread the ball around a bunch, a bunch of guys are gonna get a ton of catches and we're gonna be alright."

Johnson, 30, retired this offseason after a nine-year career consisting of 731 receptions, 11,619 yards, and 83 touchdowns.

The Lions signed Marvin Jones, Jeremy Kerley, Andrew Caldwell, and Andre Roberts this season to replace Johnson. Golden Tate, T.J. Jones, and Corey Fuller also return at the wide out position.

Despite early speculation on if Johnson would return to play, possibly even for another team, Stafford said last month that he thinks he's gone for good.

"In my mind, I don't see that happening," Stafford told DetroitLions.com. "He retired because he wanted to. That's it."

"I didn't [try to talk him out of it]," Stafford said. "I think he knows where I stand on that. I want him to be happy, and do it [play] because you want to do it. I talk to him somewhat regularly. He just wants to know what's up."