The Lions have spent the first two weeks of 2026 looking far more settled on offense than they did a year ago, and back-to-back 31-point outings have given the attack a sturdy early foundation. But one of the more interesting pieces of that start is what hasn’t happened yet with Jameson Williams.
Through two games, Williams has barely gotten going. He has 78 yards, no touchdowns, and a handful of moments that have left plenty to be desired, including drops and a botched reverse that only added to the frustration.
The looks have been there. The results haven’t.
That’s why Week 3 feels like the spot where Williams can start turning the early story on its head. The speed and explosiveness are still obvious, and the kind of game-breaking pop the Lions expect from him feels more like a matter of when than if. He simply hasn’t cashed in yet.
ESPN analyst Eric Woodyard pointed to Williams as one of the early-season trends worth watching for Detroit, even while framing the slow start as something that may not last. The numbers are jarring for a player who entered 2026 with real momentum after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but there’s still plenty of runway left.
"Coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, there were high expectations for Williams entering 2026 as WR2. However, Williams has just six receptions for 78 yards under first-year offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
Williams has been targeted 13 times and hasn't been able to make much of an impact through the first two weeks. But quarterback Jared Goff maintains faith in Williams, as the wide receiver should certainly get back on track.
"I'm not worried about him in the slightest, and I got to be a little bit better for him too," Goff said after Detroit's Week 1 win."
Goff’s confidence matters here, because the Lions’ offense has still been humming even without much from Williams. Amon-Ra St.
Brown has opened the season blazing, and Detroit has kept moving the ball. Still, the ceiling gets higher when Williams is involved, and Goff clearly knows it.
That was the tone he struck when talking about how the ball gets distributed in this offense. He made it clear that the job is mostly about finding the open man, but he also acknowledged that getting Williams and Isaac TeSlaa more involved is part of the equation.
"For me, it's not hard. For Drew (Petzing), that's a challenge every week.
I'm just trying to throw it to the open guy, and our guys know that. I'm lucky our guys don't have egos in that way.
Of course they want the ball, (but) they just want to win. Winning is so much more important to those guys and that makes my job a whole lot easier.
It's just throw it to the open guy. At the same time, certainly we want to get the ball to Jameson (Williams) more, get the ball to (Isaac) TeSlaa more, (Jahmyr) Gibbs will get his touches, but I think those guys have played well."
That’s the opening for Williams. The Jets have been the NFL’s stingiest defense so far, but Detroit’s first two opponents haven’t exactly resembled the kind of defense that can smother every threat the Lions throw at them. Tennessee ranks 31st in total offense, Green Bay sits 18th, and Detroit’s own offense is already in the top 10.
So the stage is there. Williams has had the chances, the Lions want more from him, and another home game gives him a clean shot to reset the early narrative. If this start is a mirage, Week 3 is the kind of week where he can start proving it.
In Other News...
Aaron Glenn's Return Just Made This Lions Test Even Tougher
The Week 3 matchup at Ford Field already had enough going for it, with the Jets coming to town to test a Lions team that expects to be pushed on both sides of the ball. But the return of Aaron Glenn adds another layer to it. Glenn spent 2021 through 2024 as Detroits defensive coordinator, and now he comes back as Jets head coach with a familiar defensive identity and plenty of history alongside Dan Campbell.
Campbell and Glenn built a close working relationship in Detroit, so this one has more than just the usual regular-season edge. Campbell called it a competitive game and pointed to the challenge New York brings on defense and offense, which is exactly why this feels like more than a reunion. For the Lions, it is a chance to measure themselves against a coach they know well and a unit shaped by the same hard-nosed standards that helped define them not long ago. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Jets Problem They May Not Be Built For
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Campbell also pointed to the defensive side, where the Lions have leaned more on zone coverage while dealing with multiple unavailable safeties. Christian Izien has been getting more work in practice, and Campbell suggested other players may have to help absorb the load, which leaves Detroit trying to piece together enough back-end stability at a moment when that part of the defense is already stretched thin. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Tease A Fan Favorite Look For Jets Matchup
A familiar combination might be back in play when the Lions line up against the Jets, with Detroit teasing its blue home jerseys paired with silver pants for the upcoming matchup. It is the kind of look that has become a fan favorite in recent seasons, and one that the Lions have only brought out a couple of times since last year, including Week 11 and on Thanksgiving against Green Bay.
There is some extra intrigue around the game because Jets coach Aaron Glenn was the first coaching hire made by Dan Campbell in Detroit, a move that tied the two coaches together well before Sundays meeting. Glenn has spoken about appreciating the chance Campbell gave him and about their early discussions on changing the teams culture, so the uniform tease adds a little more buzz to a reunion that already carries some history. [Read more 🡒]