Pride of Detroit
I told you guys I would eventually get one, I just needed time to warm up. I nailed my bold prediction for the last Detroit Lions game, and I’m looking to start a streak this week. There were a lot of good options to choose from in this matchup, but I decided to focus on the offense once again.
Coming off their bye week, the Lions stay home and take on the Minnesota Vikings for the first time this season. The Vikings enter with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who’s returning from an ankle injury that held him out for six weeks, and the team isn’t as strong as it’s been the past few years. Despite the Vikings being 3-4, they can’t be overlooked as the Lions need to treat them like any other opponent, and I believe they will.
The Lions’ offense has been doing well, but a big piece of them hasn’t gotten going so far this season. I think this week is the perfect chance for the Lions’ fastest player to zoom past Minnesota’s defense and find paydirt.
After having his first-ever 1,000-yard season last year, Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams has fallen hard this season. It’s not because of talent, injuries, suspensions, or off-field issues; he just hasn’t been given the ball. Williams’ last season finished with 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns on 58 catches, averaging 17.3 yards per catch in 15 games. This year, Williams has only 289 yards and two touchdowns on 17 catches, averaging 17 yards per catch in seven games.
A big difference this season compared to last is the number of targets Williams is getting. Last year, Williams got 91 passes thrown his way; this year, only 30. Now the team still has 10 games left to play, and while Williams is on pace for 73, he could be getting used more in this offense. On Thursday, Lions offensive coordinator John Morton discussed how he needs to get Williams more involved in the offense to finish off the year.
“I’m going to do a better job with that. But there has been opportunities where it just didn’t happen. It’s not like we aren’t going to try to target him. So, that was the biggest thing. So, I looked at everything, and I failed him. That’s what I told him,” Morton said.
Later in the day on Thursday, Williams didn’t ignore the struggles he’s been dealing with this season, appreciated Morton admitting the problem, and dismissed any frustration with Morton in the offense.
“It means a lot, you know, because he obviously sees it,” Williams said. “That’s just the main thing, acknowledging it. You know, we went so long without acknowledging it. So, you know, acknowledging it was the best thing about that (conversation). I ain’t frustrated at all. How could I be frustrated? I’m me.”
With Morton admitting Williams needs to be more involved in the offense, I think...
