The Detroit Lions finally got wide receiver Jameson Williams firing on all cylinders during Sunday’s 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders — and it only took until the third quarter for him to explode.
Williams erupted for 100 of his 105 receiving yards in the third period alone, marking his most productive stretch of the season. Through the Lions’ first eight games, the former Alabama standout had managed 21 catches for 355 yards and three touchdowns, falling short of his breakout 2024 campaign that saw him haul in 58 passes for 1,001 yards and seven scores in 15 contests.
Against Washington, Williams started quietly with a 14-yard grab in the first half. But when the second half began, Detroit wasted no time feeding him the ball. On three of the team’s first five plays after halftime, Jared Goff targeted Williams for gains of 22, 11, and 14 yards, the last of which found the end zone and extended Detroit’s lead to 32-10.
Before the quarter ended, Williams added receptions of 41 and 17 yards, finishing the period with five catches, 105 yards, and a touchdown.
“I thought Jamo really showed up today,” said head coach Dan Campbell. “He’s been working his tail off every single day. The effort, the preparation — it’s all there. We just hadn’t been able to connect until now. But today, Goff found him, and Jamo made some big-time plays. You could see the confidence, the energy — he was rolling, and he’s absolutely one of our guys.”
Campbell might’ve said “we got him going,” but truthfully, he got him going himself — because this time, Campbell was the one calling the offensive plays. The Lions’ head coach decided to take over those duties from offensive coordinator John Morton for Sunday’s matchup.
“It was just about trying something a little different,” Campbell explained. “I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do and how I wanted it done. But it was still a team effort — I was getting constant input from John and the rest of the staff. It wasn’t anything dramatic; I just thought a new voice might help us find some rhythm. And for today, it worked.”
Following a heartbreaking 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings the previous week, Campbell’s squad entered Sunday determined to rebound — and Williams said the players were motivated no matter who had the play sheet.
“Shout out to Coach Dan and how he ran the game,” Williams said. “But really, we came in with a chip on our shoulder. We wanted to execute after that loss last week. Everyone got involved — Jahmyr Gibbs had three touchdowns — and when the ball gets spread around like that, it’s easy for us to put up points. We’ve got playmakers everywhere.”
According to the official game report, five of Williams’ six catches came on short routes, which fit perfectly with the Lions’ offensive strategy against Washington’s defensive looks.
“The game plan worked,” Williams added. “They played a lot of man and match coverage, so our focus was on getting separation and running away from DBs. When defenders try to sit on your back hip, you just break off the route, and it’s there.”
Next up, the Lions face a primetime test on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. Kickoff is set for 7:20 p.m. CST on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, with NBC broadcasting the matchup.
