Jameson Williams is too young to remember the Rams at their best. The Greatest Show on Turf ended the year he was born. But as a kid from St. Louis, Williams can appreciate the similarities between that offense and the one he's a part of in Detroit -- known to some as the Grittiest Show on Turf.
"They had a lot of weapons," Williams said. "Growing up, I used to go to a lot of Rams games. My little league coach had sideline passes. We'd meet the players, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt. It was big growing up, having the Rams in the city."
The Rams spent 21 seasons in St. Louis, before moving back to Los Angeles in 2016. Williams, who was 15 years old at the time, was mad when they left, but still remembers the team fondly. Bruce, a Hall of Fame receiver, played in St. Louis through 2007, while Holt, the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver, played there through 2008.
Now Williams is part of a dynamic receiving duo himself with Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Rams also had a Hall of Fame running back in Marshall Faulk; the Lions have two of the best in the game in David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. With Jared Goff distributing the ball like Kurt Warner behind an elite offensive line, the Lions lead the NFL in points per game -- as the Rams did from 1999 to 2001 -- and have a chance to go down as one of the greatest offenses ever.
The spark the Rams brought to St. Louis "was something big for the city," said Williams, "and it's like something that we’re doing for the city now. A lot of explosive players on the field, just like how they had a real great offense, complementary defense, so I think it’s good, it’s real good." Most importantly, the Lions are 10-1 for the first time since 1934 and a legitimate threat to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history.
"A lot of people are excited about what we’re doing this year, a lot of people just excited that the Lions is winning," Williams said last week after surprising fans alongside Kerby Joseph at a Thanksgiving turkey drive at a youth center in Detroit. "A lot of people say, 'Y’all make my day, y’all make my week, y’all make my whole year just from one game.' They haven’t really seen the Lions ballin' like this.
"And that’s part of our job and what we do it for, it’s for the city. We’re just trying to put smiles on people's faces, our families, our fans, everybody."
Williams' smile can light up a room. He's been flashing it frequently. The 23-year-old is on pace for the first 1,000-yard receiving season of his career, despite missing two games earlier this year due to a suspension. He's second in the NFL in yards per catch (20.8). And he continues to garner praise from teammates and coaches alike not just for his receiving exploits, but his blocking and physicality in the run game.
"With me being fast, I think that’s what people single out," Williams said. "I can do a lot of things on the field, but my speed is just eye-catching so I think that takes away (from) the other things I can do. And when it happens, I think people are surprised. But I’m a ball player. I’m able to make a lot of type of plays, just playing ball and knowing how the game goes and being fundamentally sound."