Personal milestones always take a backseat to team success, but by the same token, team success doesn’t happen without strong individual play. That has certainly been true for the Detroit Lions and running back Jamaal Williams.
Williams can accomplish some impressive individual feats in Detroit’s Week 18 finale against the Green Bay Packers.
With just six rushing yards, Williams will hit the 1,000-yard mark for the season. The Lions have not had a single back hit 1,000 yards rushing in a season since Reggie Bush back in 2013.
Then there are the touchdowns. Williams has run for 15, a figure that leads the league. Austin Ekeler of the Chargers has 13, as does Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. If Williams holds on, he will be the first Lions RB to lead the NFL in rushing TDs since 1991.
That was peak Barry Sanders, of course. The Hall of Famer scored 16 rushing TDs back in 1991, the last Detroit player to capture the crown. Sanders’ 16 also represents the Lions team record for rushing TDs in a year.
Williams has that record in his sights. And assistant head coach/RB coach Duce Staley made no bones about it. He wants Williams to get the mark.
“Now, that’s big. Yeah, that’s huge,” Staley said of Williams potentially getting the records. “Oh no doubt, we all do, everybody in the building wants to see him go out there and do it. And tell you what, he’s going to have many chances.”
Williams ran for 81 yards on 24 carries in Detroit’s Week 9 win over the Packers. He’s coming off the best game of his six-year NFL career, gashing the Bears for 144 yards and a touchdown in the Lions’ 41-10 domination of Chicago in Week 17.
