Keyshawn Johnson Offers Lions WR Jameson Williams Advice
The Detroit Lions and Jameson Williams understand the talented wideout has the potential to be much more involved in the offense.
Offensive coordinator John Morton has already pulled the former first-round pick aside and talked to him about what can be improved over the course of the next 10 games.
Former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson understands what Williams is experiencing.
Famously, the former New York Jets wideout and NFL analyst wrote the book, "Just give me the damn ball."
Johnson has heard all the rumblings that the former Alabama Crimson Tide wideout is being underutilized or somehow he could be unhappy with his production recently.
He took to social media prior to the Thursday Night Football contest between the Dolphins and Ravens to share advice he wanted to give to Williams.
"I just realized that my man Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions wide receiver, hadn't been getting the footballs. He didn't get a catch this past game at all," Johnson noted. "I am going to tell you right now Jameson, they are going to get you the football."
Detroit's fifth-year head coach was a former teammate of the outspoken former NFL wideout.
Also, Johnson knows Morton quite well, since both had previous ties to USC football.
"I played with Dan Campbell, I know Dan Campbell very, very well. I have been knowing coach Martin forever," said Johnson. "When he was our receivers coach at USC, I've been knowing him forever. He is going to get you the ball.
"But I understand the frustration. Don't get caught up in them asking you questions about you not having your opportunities and getting targeted. Because they will turn it into something more than what it is. And I'm talking about the media," Johnson added. "They'll turn it into more than what it is. And that ain't the case. We know that you are going to get the football. The coaches know that opportunities was missed."
Even though Williams is not lighting up the stat sheet, defenses have certainly given him extra attention, which has opened up the run game and provided more space for Amon-Ra St. Brown and other teammates. Also, the coaching staff is very aware of how effective Williams is as a blocker.
"You are a vital and very important piece to the Detroit Lions trying to win a championship," said Johnson. "So, don't get sidetracked at all. I know you want your touches, because people out there, they only look at statistics. Most people in this world and on social media, they are statistical freaks. They only look at the numbers. They don't look at what you bring to the game.
"They don't look at how you lift the coverage. How you open up underneath for St. Brown and the tight end LaPorta," Johnson explained further. "If you had not lifted the coverage sometimes, they may not get the football. They don't care about that. All they care about is the fantasy football numbers and the betting props and the numbers. You keep doing your thing young man and I promise you Dan Campbell and coach Morton are going to get you the football. They have no other choice but to get you the damn football. That's just the bottom line. ..."
Lions chose not to fix any of their problems and add more in loss to the Vikings
The Detroit Lions just never got going out of that gate in this one. Every problem they came out of the bye knowing they had to fix didn't get fixed. On top of that, they created more problems for themselves, and that's why they lost 27-24 to the Minnesota Vikings.
Goff Report
Jared Goff was under fire all day. The most mobile quarterback alive wasn't getting past this Vikings defensive line. They came in with a goal, and they accomplished it. The other problem is that the Vikings did something that basically no team has done in the last couple of years: stop the run.
They forced the Lions to be one-dimensional, and any time you do that to any team, it's a problem for them. Goff finished the day going 25-37 for 284 yards and two touchdowns.
3rd-and-fail
Lions head coach Dan Campbell made it a point to talk about the Lions' third-down woes this season after the bye. There was concern about the fact that the Lions have yet to convert on third-and-10 this year. The other problem he brought up was third-and-managable. The third-and-4-6 area. The Lions struggle there as well.
That struggle continued in this game as they went five-17 on third down. This has to be figured out. The Lions' offense is a group that needs to stay on the field and let things unfold. When they're ending drives early, it just kills their momentum.
Penalties at the worst time
The Lions' defense hurt themselves multiple times in this game, but nothing hurts more than getting a back-breaking penalty that gives your opponent a free first down. The Lions did it multiple times on Sunday.
- Amik Robertson's illegal contact wipes out third-and-13
- Aidan Hutchinson's roughing the passer wiped out a second-and-15
- Jack Campbell's roughing the passer ruined a second-and-9
- Alim McNeill's offside wipes out a third-and-1 where the Lions forced a stop
This was a season high in penalties altogether for the Lions. They committed 10 of them. They're always bad, but those four were the absolute worst.
Where is the Lions' first-round pick?
Tyleik Williams practiced all week for the Lions and doesn't appear to have any known injuries at this time. So where was he in this game? He played 11 snaps, and veteran tackle Tyler Lacy got the bulk of the work outside of the starters, Alim McNeill and DJ Reader.
We'll have to see what Dan Campbell says about it postgame.
Brian Flores got his get back on Jared Goff
Goff and the Lions offense have been beating up on Brian Flores' blitz-happy defense for a long time now. There's a reason why they've beaten this Vikings team five times in a row.
On Sunday, that all went out the window. The Vikings brought the pressure from the get-go, and the Vikings got to Goff six times and put up 24 pressures. They won this battle this time.
Terrion Arnold played one heck of a game
There's got to be some positive stuff to talk about here. Arnold played really well in this game. He was targeted five times and allowed just two catches for 32 yards. He also had a really nice pass breakup in the end zone.
