Judge Smails
Practice Squad
Mike Williams made a frank admission Tuesday.
"I went through my time when I kind of tanked it," he said. "The problem with that was, it sent out the signal that I didn't care."
But Williams is getting another chance. Lions coach Rod Marinelli said Williams would play against Miami in Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field.
Wide receivers Devale Ellis (shoulder) and Eddie Drummond (concussion) are listed as questionable on the injury report. Asked if Williams had earned this opportunity or had gotten it because of the circumstances, Marinelli said: "He's doing some things that we like."
Marinelli declined to elaborate. Williams has had several problems since the Lions drafted him 10th overall last year, most notably his weight. He hasn't played since dropping a pass Oct. 8 at Minnesota. He hasn't been in uniform for the last five games.
"Things get bad, you get low," Williams said. "Coach Marinelli says, 'When you hit rock bottom, it doesn't matter that you're at the bottom. It's how high you bounce off.' So I just look at it that way and try to make the most of it.
"It's like night and day. One minute, it's all dark, and the next minute, everybody likes you. Which is this business."
Williams said he had put together two or three weeks of solid practices. But he isn't out of the doghouse yet.
"Honestly, my opportunity, I'm going to take it and not look back," Williams said. "That's what it is, an opportunity. It's my opportunity to make or break."
Williams said his teammates were happy for him. As he spoke to a reporter outside the locker room door, cornerback Dre' Bly walked past and interjected: "He's being turned loose. We're going to turn him loose."
"I went through my time when I kind of tanked it," he said. "The problem with that was, it sent out the signal that I didn't care."
But Williams is getting another chance. Lions coach Rod Marinelli said Williams would play against Miami in Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field.
Wide receivers Devale Ellis (shoulder) and Eddie Drummond (concussion) are listed as questionable on the injury report. Asked if Williams had earned this opportunity or had gotten it because of the circumstances, Marinelli said: "He's doing some things that we like."
Marinelli declined to elaborate. Williams has had several problems since the Lions drafted him 10th overall last year, most notably his weight. He hasn't played since dropping a pass Oct. 8 at Minnesota. He hasn't been in uniform for the last five games.
"Things get bad, you get low," Williams said. "Coach Marinelli says, 'When you hit rock bottom, it doesn't matter that you're at the bottom. It's how high you bounce off.' So I just look at it that way and try to make the most of it.
"It's like night and day. One minute, it's all dark, and the next minute, everybody likes you. Which is this business."
Williams said he had put together two or three weeks of solid practices. But he isn't out of the doghouse yet.
"Honestly, my opportunity, I'm going to take it and not look back," Williams said. "That's what it is, an opportunity. It's my opportunity to make or break."
Williams said his teammates were happy for him. As he spoke to a reporter outside the locker room door, cornerback Dre' Bly walked past and interjected: "He's being turned loose. We're going to turn him loose."
