Jameson Williams rarely needs a lift. Asked Thursday if his 45-yard touchdown against the Bucs back in Week 6 was a confidence booster, Williams said, "My confidence is always high. That was just a play I made. Ball came my way, I just had to make a play."
But Williams can't lie. The atmosphere inside Ford Field last Sunday had him feeling even better than usual. The place was shaking for the Lions' first home playoff game in 30 years, to the point that they might have to repaint the walls. It was so loud during one play for Detroit's defense, Williams said, that he "was on the sideline and you just wanna look around, but you gotta stay focused. Like, sh*t."
The fans wound up smashing the decibel record at Ford Field, which registered the fourth-highest decibel reading in NFL history with the noise at its peak. Only the Superdome in 2013, Lumen Field in 2013 and Arrowhead in 2014 have been louder. Williams wants to turn it up even more Sunday against the Bucs.
"I'm just trying to get it to be No. 1," he said. "All the other ones was like years and years ago. This was the most recent one. I just want to see how loud that is. I'm used to playing outside games. ... That was probably the loudest game inside I done had, so it was exciting."
The highlight for Williams, besides the Lions' 24-23 win over the Rams, of course, may have come before the game. He got a huge ovation when he was introduced with the Lions' offensive starters, another reminder of how badly this fanbase wants him to succeed.
"That was really exciting to me," Williams said. "It gave me a little confidence boost. I’ve been here two years, it’s my first time actually getting introduced with the starters. I’ve been waiting for it for a minute, but it was exciting to me. It just got me ready to go."
Williams wound up catching two early passes for 19 yards, but was shut out the rest of the way. He did play a season-high 70 percent of the snaps on offense and said Thursday that his rapport with Jared Goff continues to grow: "It came along like that weeks ago as I started getting more reps in the game."
Asked what kind of opportunity he senses for himself Sunday, Williams said, "I feel like I could only do as much as the opportunities I get, you know? Like I said, I try to make the most of my opportunities every play. I touch the ball, I try to take it to a touchdown every time. That’s my mindset."
Meanwhile, Detroit senses a legitimate opportunity for its football team to do something it hasn't done since 1991. With a win on Sunday, the Lions would advance to the NFC title game for just the second time in franchise history. Williams said the team's confidence is "real high."
"The city is giving us a boost, how excited everybody is. They making us feel like, sh*t, we done already won a Super Bowl just from winning one game for them," Williams said. "Everything we do is, like, overboard to them. They take it to the max."
If possible, Williams hopes they take it up a few more notches Sunday at Ford Field.
"I expect it to be louder," he said.