Jameson Williams has not disappeared from Detroit’s offense. But through two games, the Lions have not found enough ways to get the ball into the explosive receiver’s hands.

Williams enters Week 3 with six catches for 78 yards and no touchdowns. That production is well below the pace many expected after his 1,117-yard 2025 season, especially for a player capable of changing a game with one touch.

Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing offered an important explanation Thursday: the issue is not always that Williams is being ignored in the play design. Sometimes the defense simply presents a look that takes the intended opportunity away.

“Just speaking to Jamo, sometimes we’ve had his number called and we get the wrong look, or we aren’t able to get the ball to him. Other times he’s been able to make some big plays for us, which has been great,” Petzing said.

Designed opportunities do not always become targets

That is the key distinction for fans wondering why Williams has not seen more production.

An offensive play can be built to create a shot for a specific receiver, but quarterbacks have to react to the coverage in front of them. If a defense rolls a safety toward Williams, takes away the deep route or forces Jared Goff to move through his progression, the ball may need to go elsewhere.

That does not mean Williams was forgotten. It means the play did not unfold as intended.

Through two games, Williams caught four passes for 45 yards against New Orleans and added two catches for 33 yards in Buffalo. Those are modest totals for a player who recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but they do not tell the full story of how Detroit has attempted to deploy him.

The Lions have also had plenty to clean up after their loss to the Bills, including their slow offensive start and an inconsistent run game that forced the offense to lean more heavily on the passing attack.

Will the Jets give Williams more room?

The Jets present another difficult test, but Williams’ speed will remain an essential part of Detroit’s offensive equation.

Even when he does not get the football, defenses have to account for him. That can create room underneath for Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and the rest of the offense. Still, Detroit did not sign up for Williams merely to be a decoy. His game-breaking ability needs to become a more regular part of the output.

Petzing’s comments suggest the Lions are already calling plays with Williams in mind. The next challenge is finding matchups and coverage looks that allow Goff to actually deliver the ball.

Detroit has scored 31 points in each of its first two games, but it has also made life harder with self-inflicted mistakes. As the Lions look to rebound against New York, getting Williams more involved would be a welcome way to add another layer to an offense that already has plenty of weapons.

The opportunities appear to be in the plan. Now Detroit needs more of them to turn into catches — and eventually, the explosive plays everyone knows Williams can make.