He kept his sense of humor. But Roy Williams made it clear Monday that, because the Lions are losing, he is not happy with how often he is thrown the ball nor the role of No. 2 receiver.
"I feel that if I'm not involved in the game and we lose, I'm (ticked) off," Williams said. "But if I'm not involved and we win, hey, it's a great job. And I've been like that since I've been here. I just feel like I can make some plays, as well. ... Three balls a week, that's not going to cut it."
Asked if he had himself on his fantasy team, Williams said: "Heck, no." Asked if he had teammate Calvin Johnson, Williams said: "Yeah, I got Calvin."
Through two games, both lopsided losses, Williams has six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown, and Johnson has 13 catches for 236 yards and two TDs. Williams also misread a route leading to an interception last week in Atlanta and has been flagged for two pass interference penalties. Both he and Johnson have dropped passes.
"The first week, I had five balls thrown my way -- caught three for 47," Williams said. "This week, I had six come my way -- three for 48. So keeping on my average."
Is that enough?
"Enough balls come my way?" Williams said. "No, sir. No, sir."
How many would be enough?
"As many times as we're throwing the football, I don't know how many we're throwing on the other side, but my side it's six," Williams said. "This is the Mike Martz system, but not really. But in Mike Martz's system, I would have had at least 10 to 12 balls come my way."
The Lions fired Martz after last season and named Jim Colletto offensive coordinator.
"I'm in the same position," Williams said. "I just think I'm in a different role right now. I really think I'm a role player right now."
Because of Johnson's emergence?
"Yeah, I think so," Williams said. "He's doing his thing on the other side. He's making big plays for us. I'm just a guy that comes in and sneaks about two or three balls in a game, try to get some first downs, keep the chains moving.
"I mean, that's fine. It's not fine when we lose, but it's fine when we win. I just want to win, man, and if I feel like I'm not helping the team in that thing right there, then I'm mad."
Does
quarterback Jon Kitna look for Johnson, 6-5, more than Williams, 6-3?
"I think so," Williams said. "I always joke with him because, when he throws the ball to me, he kind of throws it like I'm 6-7, up there with Calvin."
Kitna disputed that.
"I think these first couple weeks, we definitely want to get him the ball
more," Kitna said of Williams. "I think we tried to get him the ball more yesterday. We just missed on a few plays. Unfortunately had the pass interference call they called against him, and things like that.
"We tried to get him the ball. I don't know how many times we threw it in his direction yesterday. But there's not a cognizant effort to go away from him on my part."
Williams said he would never go to the coaches to complain.
"I don't know, man," Williams said. "It's like a bad year to be Roy Williams right now. I've got two pass interference (penalties) in two games that shouldn't be pass interference by no means. I mean, it's tough right now. But we'll get this thing straightened out."
