The Detroit Lions were expected to push Tyleik Williams into a lesser role with the return of Alim McNeil. However, the regression was a bit more drastic than first expected, failing to record a single tackle while playing a season-low 31.9% of the defensive snaps. While this is a bad look at first glance, there are clear explanations to be offered for the regression. The first being the fact that the Lions were in control of the game from early on and consistently in passing situations. This obviously limited how much you wanted the defensive tackle on the field.
Add in the fact that there was a great deal of excitement around the return of McNeil, and the step back makes sense. There is no reason for alarm or concern when you look at the overall performance of the defensive line and edge rushers. The Lions sacked Baker Mayfield four times while hitting him an additional four and creating consistent pressure. The quarterback was running for his life, forced to attempt to play hero ball. While you would like to see a better game from Williams, it isn't as if the unit didn't perform at a high level.
Lions Fans Shouldn't Overreact to Tyleik Williams Playing Reduced Role in Week 7 Win
Adding to this is the fact that the Lions will utilize Williams in a role the defender is better suited for moving forward. Everything about this game was an outlier based on the previous snap counts and role that Williams has played. While his role will certainly be lessened by the return of McNeil, the lineman remains an incredibly important defensive piece.
In fact, not forcing Williams into snaps that he's not yet suited for could actually increase the impact he has on this defense. Consider how his snap shares and PFF grades line up this season:
Week | Snap Share | PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (at GB) | 66.7% | 48.7 |
Week 2 (vs CHI) | 36.8% | 62.2 |
Week 3 (at BAL) | 54.4% | 52.6 |
Week 4 (vs CLE) | 58.2% | 49.0 |
Week 5 (at CIN) | 33.9% | 68.6 |
Week 6 (at KC) | 54.7% | 54.1 |
Week 7 (vs TB) | 31.9% | 68.9 |
His highest PFF grade came on his lowest snap share. He also had his second-highest grade on his second-lowest share and his third-highest on the third-lowest. As a first-round pick, of course you'd prefer to see him be an every-down player already. But he's not there yet, and this will allow him to continue developing while making a positive impact.
Williams has 9 pressures this season, pointing to his ability not only to clog up the middle but in short bursts to get to the quarterback. As the Lions move into the heart of an incredibly difficult schedule, the ability to keep the interior of the defense fresh will be incredibly important. Over the next weeks of the season, Detroit is scheduled to play the Vikings, Commanders, Eagles, Giants, and Packers. Each of these five matchups is looking difficult.
Already, the Packers have beaten the Lions once this season, bullying Detroit in the trenches on both sides of the ball. This helps headline the need for the defense to continue to keep its interior fresh and lean on a consistent rotation.
With all of this in mind, fans shouldn't be overly concerned with what was the most underwhelming game of the season for Williams. Everything about the performance was specific to the game and situation. There simply isn't a viable reason not to view it as a clear outlier heading into Week 8. Even with McNeil back in the fold, this is still a team that will lean on Williams more heavily in the weeks to come.