Getty Nick Williams flexes during a Lions game against Green Bay.
The Detroit Lions still don’t have a win this season, and have limped along in terms of their ability to get over the hump in the league right now.
Does all of that lead to any discontent in the locker room? Not exactly, especially seeing as the Lions are sticking together as a unit and remain very cohesive with regard to their coaching staff and players on the field.
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Speaking to the media on Monday, November 1, defensive lineman Nick Williams spoke with the media in an interview posted to DetroitLions.com about the mindset of the team, and as he said, giving up isn’t an option when the Lions represent Detroit given the mindset of the city.
“We’re playing for this great city of Detroit. There’s no quitters in this city if you know Detroit people. So that’s kind of what we got on our team,” Williams explained to the media. “Nobody’s looking to bash anybody or down anybody, not sulking in anything. We’re just looking to get better and get this city a win and wins with an ‘s.’ We have talented guys in that locker room, we just have to all put it together. We believe in each other, we have full confidence in the coaching staff and in each other. We just have to put that on tape and put that on Sunday. We’re not looking to be sad Debbie downers or anything like that because that’s not what this city is built on.”
Even though fans might be frustrated with how things have gone, it’s clear there is still a ton of pride with the Lions. The team is motivated to fight for the city and for each other, and it’s something which could help benefit them down the stretch of the season.
Credit Williams for understanding what everything is about on the field and off.
Williams Not Thinking About Lions Going Winless This Season
A big focus of the media has become how the Lions are now 0-8 on the season. Is the team gearing up for a winless year on the field? While many outside the building may be pondering that possibility, the Lions themselves are not whatsoever, something Williams explained to the media.
“I don’t think that far down the road. This is football. Anything can happen any Sunday. I’m just focused on getting better on what I need to get better at. Going 1-0, that’s how the good teams do. They try to focus on going 1-0. They don’t think about what’s going to happen at the end of the season and what could be, they just think about getting better and going 1-0. That’s the only thing we’re really focused on, and we got to get that done.”
Having a 1-0 mindset coming out of the bye week will be huge for the Lions as it relates to moving on. Perhaps with a refreshed mindset, the Lions can find the inches to pull an upset win in the second half of the year that helps boost their hopes moving into 2021.
Lions Have History With Going Winless
Though Williams is talking a great game, it’s clear that history isn’t on Detroit’s side in terms of avoiding making history again. The Lions became the first ever team to go 0-16 in 2008, and were later joined in that feat by the Cleveland Browns. Now, though, the league has added another game, so the Lions could make history again by becoming the league’s first 0-17 team. Looking at the schedule, the Lions might have a shot to make more history, considering they will continue to play tough teams from the AFC North as well as the NFC West in the second half of the season, in addition to a few more battles with their NFC North competition.
Obviously, a big part of finding the inches on the field is making sure motivation remains sound. It’s obvious the Lions will have this in spades when all is said and done.
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