Getty Jamaal Williams takes a handoff from Jared Goff in a 2021 Lions preseason game.
The Detroit Lions have been a laughing stock in many ways through the years, not the least of which is their putrid ground game. Moving forward, though, the team seems motivated to help change that significantly.
Detroit has not only made a better effort to try and develop the ground attack in-house, but they have also prioritized it in terms of free agency signings. While they are still trying to find the right combination to sustain success, Jamaal Williams hopes to be a major part of the solution moving forward.
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Williams is not shy about his confidence in his new team and their new-look ground attack. Speaking at a luncheon at the Economic Club of Detroit, Williams dropped a hint as to where he thinks the team can go in 2021. As Chris Burke of The Athletic tweeted, Williams stepped up and said that Jared Goff is going to wish he could dial up run plays constantly because it’s going to be “nuts” for the team’s running game in 2021.
Jamaal Williams asked how excited he is about the Lions’ run game: “I can’t wait. Sorry, Goff, nothing personal: You’re gonna wish we can run the ball every play. It’s gonna be nuts out there.”
With his good humor and personality, Williams has become a fast favorite in Detroit, and might even be a player who holds the key toward turning things around for the franchise himself. The fact that he is continuing to hype the team’s ground game is very cool and notable. It also speaks to the challenge that Williams is not only issuing himself, but his teammates and the belief he has in them to rise to the occasion and have success.
Many players have come and gone through the years after taking a stab at transforming the Lions rushing attack from a laughing stock to a power, but Williams might be crazy and confident enough to be the one who gets it done in the end.
Lions Ground Game Has Been Miserable for Decades
If there’s one place that Lions fans have to hope such hype ends up meeting the expectations, it’s at running back. To say the Lions have had a bad few decades running the football would be an understatement. Up until 2018 and Kerryon Johnson, the team hadn’t had a 100 yard rusher in a game since Reggie Bush in 2014. In terms of consistency as a team, the Lions have been dreadful as well. The team hasn’t rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season since 1997, when Barry Sanders played and Detroit ran for 2,464 yards. Ironically, the closest the Lions have come to shattering that mark in the last 24 years was in 1998, when the team rushed for 1,955 yards in Sanders’ final season. All the while, the Lions have had one of the worst ground games in the entire league, routinely finishing in the bottom half statistically. In 2020, Detroit rushers only put up a total of 1,499 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground as well as 93.7 yards per-game, good for 30th in the league.
The Lions hope they have fixed this problem by not only by adding a healthy D’Andre Swift, but by bringing Williams in as well and beefing up the offensive line with depth. He was often overlooked in Green Bay, but clearly a very talented back in his own right. The fact he is stepping up and making predictions about what he thinks will happen takes confidence, but that might be the only way to change what hasn’t worked for the Lions at this spot.
Williams’ Stats, Highlights and Fit With Lions
Running back depth has been an issue that Williams has had to fight through in Green Bay, but for years, the runner has been a key part of the mix and a durable runner. With his role all but being replaced by A.J. Dillon, the Lions could find a way to work Williams into the mix and add some power to their rushing game. Williams has rushed for 1,985 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career and could be the type of player that lends some depth to the Detroit ground attack and the new physical mindset they want to embody. At 26, he still has plenty of life left in his legs as well.
Here’s a video which shows the kind of person Williams is and how fun loving he can be:
Not only does Williams have life in his legs, but he has life in his spirit. He seems very confident that the Lions can turn over a new leaf and finally have a rushing game worthy of merit moving forward this season, and isn’t afraid to talk about it.
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