The Detroit Lions nearly blew a large lead in the season opener against the New Orleans Saints. Had New Orleans completed the comeback, wide receiver Jameson Williams might have been a major goat.
Different NFL stat collectors have different qualifications for drops, so it’s not 100% clear how many Williams actually had Sunday. But Williams failed to haul in three passes that a lot of pundits and fans would argue the wideout should have caught.
Overall, Williams finished with just four receptions despite nine targets.
But quarterback Jared Goff didn’t lose any confidence in the speedy receiver during the tough afternoon. In his postgame press conference, Goff took some of the blame away from Williams for those drops. The quarterback also adamantly answered yes when asked if he thought Williams would bounce back.
“I talked to him too. Some of those throws aren’t my best,” Goff told reporters after the overtime win. “Getting it to him in the right spot, on time. So yeah, that’s kind of one of those little things.
“I’m not worried about him in the slightest. I gotta be a little bit better for him too.”
Goff then praised Williams for what he did do, especially in overtime.
“So proud of him late in the game. Game’s on the line, I find him down the sideline, he makes the play. That was the difference.”
Even after the struggles, Williams came through in the clutch. He hauled in a 22-yard pass on second-and-11 deep in Saints territory to set up the Lions with a first-and-goal opportunity.
The Lions scored the eventual game-winning touchdown two plays later. Detroit knocked off New Orleans in overtime 31-30.
Jared Goff Praises Jameson Williams Despite Poor Outing
Goff said all the right things when supporting Williams in his press conference. More importantly, the quarterback showed the faith he has in the sixth-year receiver.
The Lions signal-caller never moved away from Williams despite the rough day he experienced with his hands. The end result was Williams making a big play to help give the Lions a significant Week 1 victory.
Despite Williams’ struggles, Detroit built a 21-0 lead. The team then needed to hold on for dear life to secure the win late. Even after Williams’ catch, the Lions had to stop a 2-point conversion to beat the Saints.
If Williams makes more plays early in the game, perhaps the Lions wouldn’t have needed overtime to win in Week 1. But Williams faced adversity to begin the regular season and overcame it.
Williams finished with 45 yards on his four catches. Look for him to make more big plays down the field perhaps as early as Thursday night in Week 2. Williams has averaged at least 17.2 yards per catch in each of the past two seasons.
Lions Hold on to Win in Overtime
The Lions appeared to be cruising to a dominating win with their ground attack and defense against the Saints. But New Orleans scored on four of its five final possessions of regulation.
The Saints scored another touchdown in overtime. But going for the win with a 2-point conversion, the Saints missed the try.
It took that stop and a field goal miss at the end of the fourth quarter for the Lions to win Sunday.
The Lions will have to turn the page quickly from their dramatic win. They will next go on the road to face the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. The Bills will be hosting the first regular season game in their new stadium.
Lions’ Jared Goff Speaks out on Jameson Williams After Key Drops in Week 1