With just under two minutes to go, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff launches a deep pass to wide receiver Jameson Williams. Williams looks over his right shoulder before turning back to his left. The ball arrives, but it bounces off of Williams’ hands as he tumbles into the end zone. Incomplete.

That was the sixth and final pass Goff threw that targeted Williams in the Baltimore Ravens’ 38-6 rout of the Lions in their most recent matchup in 2023. Williams caught none of those six passes. To make matters worse, one of those targets led to an interception with Williams roughly five yards away from where Goff’s pass landed.

It was a frustrating all-around performance for the Lions against a team that would eventually become the #1 seed in the AFC. It was another opportunity for the Lions to prove they could be among the elites in the NFL, and unlike the Week 1 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, they fell flat on their face. Lions’ fans haven’t forgotten, as they continue to be concerned if the current defense can stop the Ravens’ elite rushing attack.

That Week 7 matchup against the Ravens was Williams’ third game of the 2023 season after missing the first four games due to violating the NFL rules on gambling. At the time, Williams and Goff were still trying to get on the same page, as evidenced by Goff forcing passes to Williams when the game was out of hand. Entering that game, Williams had five receptions on 15 targets in his career for a total of 96 yards and two touchdowns.

In the six games that followed, Goff would target Williams three times or fewer in each game. Encouraging signs of a breakout did emerge afterward as he reached career highs in receptions in back-to-back games. Williams ended the regular season with 24 receptions on 42 targets for 354 yards and two touchdowns. In the playoffs, Williams hauled in six passes on nine targets for 79 yards, as well as a 42-yard touchdown rush on the opening drive of the NFC Championship game.

It wasn’t an ideal second season for the talented WR, but it was clear the connection between Williams and Goff was a work in progress that was steadily improving.

Lions need the new look Jameson Williams to show up on Monday

The Lions needed Williams to turn a corner in his third season. He did so in a big way, proving his doubters wrong by reaching the 1,000-yard threshold for the first time in his career.

Goff and Williams’ chemistry improved immensely as Williams caught 58 passes on 91 targets. That 63.7% catch percentage was a step up from his 57.1% in the previous season. Of those 58 receptions, seven crossed the endzone for a touchdown, while 41 of them went for a first down.

With a full and quiet offseason finally under his belt, and claiming his long-desired #1 jersey number, Williams impressed the Lions’ brass enough to sign him to an unexpected three-year contract extension. That extension has already paid dividends as Williams has caught six passes on nine targets for 131 yards, including a 44-yard deep shot from Goff in their 52-21 win against the Chicago Bears in Week 2.

Watching Williams now is night and day compared to that 2023 game against the Ravens. With a primetime rematch on tap, the Ravens will see a much different version of Williams. One that Goff and the coaching staff have significantly more comfort and confidence in. One who is living up to his first-round draft slot. One that is displaying Pro Bowl-level talent on an offense loaded with them.

For the Lions to win on Monday, Williams will need to live up to his new jersey number and be the one that flips the script from 2023. After overcoming a rocky start to his career, he’s ready to do just that.