Jameson Williams flashed his potential in brief action as a rookie last season, with two 40-plus yard plays on as many touches including a touchdown. His first game of his second season was delayed by a gambling suspension, then it was shortened to four games when the NFL revised it's gambling punishments.
Williams' season debut in Week 5 was a mix of good and bad, as expected. Better days are coming.
The Lions offense struggled to get much going for much of three quarters Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But holding a 10-6 lead as the defense put together another strong outing, a timely play from the offense would sure have been nice to provide some comfort.
Right on cue, with a shade under three-and-a-half minutes left in the third stanza on a 3rd-and-10 play, Williams caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to stretch the Lions' lead to 17-6. Williams tracked the ball very nicely and made a fantastic adjustment to the throw, with Buccaneers defensive back Ryan Neal draped all over him.
Watch Jameson Williams connect with Jared Goff on a timely big play to stretch Lions' lead
Check out the play:
JamOH BABY!#DETvsTB | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/9TVfKpwPxo
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 15, 2023
Stretching a four-point lead to an 11-point margin felt insurmountable, as the Buccaneers could get nothing going offensively. A field goal was tacked on early in the fourth quarter to make it a 14-point margin and two-possession game, to practically put the game away further if there was any doubt.
With unique speed and game-breaking ability, Williams does not have to be a high-volume target to make a difference for the Lions' offense. There has been talk about his needing to simply be reliable in all facets as a receiver, as he works out the kinks in his game with such limited experience with a truncated season in both of his NFL seasons thus far.
At an important time in Sunday's game for the Lions, the moment called for a decisive, game-changing play. Williams delivered.