The numbers don't jump off the page when it comes to Jameson Williams' performance in Houston last week, but his three receptions for 53 yards (17.7 avg.) showed real growth in the third-year wide receiver's game.
Two of those catches were extremely difficult. The first, a throw behind him on a crosser he hauled in to keep a touchdown drive alive, and the second, a catch he made while being crunched between two defenders still hanging on to the ball in a critical touchdown drive in the fourth quarter.
"We absolutely needed him," offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said Thursday. "The one third down early in the game – Jared (Goff) said he put it behind him just a little bit and he was able to come down with that ball and extend that drive.
"And then in the fourth quarter there, you saw the one where – I don't know if I've seen him make that catch even in practice over the last two-and-a-half years. Our margin for error had gone down, so he needed to make that play for us at that time and he did."
Johnson said what he liked the most about Williams' performance last week, his first game back after a two-game suspension, was the way Williams responded when Johnson challenged him after a third-quarter mistake.
"The one that I think it was the last interception that (Goff) threw up, he came to me and was like, 'Hey was my angle right?' I was like 'No, it wasn't right, it's not what we had talked about," Johnson said.
"'But the ball's going to come to you in the fourth quarter here and we need you to make a play.' And he responded to that call just like that. I think that happens within practice, it happens in the meeting room and it certainly happened on game day last week for us."
Williams already has career highs in receiving yards (414) and touchdowns (3) in seven games this season with eight more to go. Those catches last week showed that he's not just a deep threat with speed. He can make tough catches in traffic and that shows maturation in his game.
PLAYER OF WEEK
The accolades keep rolling in for kicker Jake Bates.
The Lions first-year kicker was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for a second time this season after hitting a 58-yard field goal and 52-yard walk-off in the fourth quarter in Detroit's come-from-behind win over the Texans.
He joins Jason Hanson (12) and Matt Prater (7) as the only Lions kickers to win the award multiple times. Bates is 14-for-14 on field goal tries this year and 32-for-33 on extra point tries.
"I'm really, super happy for him and proud of him," special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said. "He's just kept his head down and he's really focused on himself and what he's doing and he's really a great example of that. He's not worried about anything else, he's just taking care of his job and I think that's a big part of his success so far."
MORE FROM HOUSTON
It was good to see edge rusher James Houston make an impact against the Texans last week. He recorded his first sack of the season and was good in the run game too.
"I don't want to say turned the corner, but I will say that you saw the improvement and I think he got the message of what the expectations of him needs to be and that has to be on a week-to-week basis," Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said Thursday.
After recording eight sacks in seven games to end his rookie season, Houston missed nearly all of last year with a broken ankle. Detroit tried him out at the SAM linebacker spot to start camp this year, but it wasn't a great fit. They moved him back to defensive end to start the season. He played sparingly early but has seen his reps increase. They'll likely decline some with Za’Darius Smith now in the fold, but Glenn is hoping last week was a launching pad for more consistent production from Houston.
"The pass rush, I knew that was going to be there," Glenn said. "The way he played the run in this game, that's what I was excited about for that player because now it's just going to give him the confidence to go out and do all the things that we know he can do at a better rate."
EXTRA POINT
Tight end Sam LaPorta (shoulder) was the only player not at the open portion of practice Thursday.
