Homecoming Bittersweet For Williams

By EDDIE DANIELS edaniels@tampatrib.com

Published: Oct 3, 2005

TAMPA - Mike Williams slumped back in a padded folding chair, wearing blue jeans and a plaid, short-sleeved shirt.

The Detroit Lions rookie receiver had just played in front of his hometown crowd for the first time as a pro. As he slumped, his look of dejection said more than any words could.

Sliding his diamond-encrusted watch onto his left wrist, the Plant High grad did his best to verbalize the misery of a 17-13 loss, in which he came inches from securing the game-winning reception.

"Whatever I did today, obviously it wasn't good enough," Williams said. "We didn't get a win. Without a win, everything else doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how great you played, how bad you played; you lose, it doesn't matter."

He finished the game as the Lions' second-leading receiver with three catches for 22 yards. To Williams, this week was not about visiting family and friends. Nor was it a celebration of the fact he would play against his hometown team and fans on the highest level of football. It was about business.

"It doesn't matter because I'm here to do my job," said Williams, a first-round selection in April's draft. "Everybody else made it more than what it was supposed to be.

"I didn't talk to many people while I was here. I came here to play ball and now I'm leaving. Everybody else, the media, tried to make it out to be more than what it is. You're playing football."

Williams' second reception converted a fourth-quarter, third-and-5 situation and placed the Lions inside the Tampa Bay 10. Four plays later, Detroit's Jason Hanson hit a 23-yard field goal, cutting the Bucs' lead to 17-13.

On Detroit's final, desperation series, tight end Marcus Pollard appeared to make a sliding catch in the right rear corner of the end zone with 13 seconds remaining, but a replay review by officials reversed the touchdown call.

On the next play, quarterback Joey Harrington hit Williams on the left sideline of the end zone, but the rookie's right foot tapped the chalk, while his left foot was in.

"I was trying to make a play, but it didn't work out," Williams said. "Joey made a good throw, but it just didn't work."

On the next play, Harrington hurled a ball to the same side over the head of Roy Williams, ending the game.

Despite the disappointing loss, Williams couldn't deny playing an NFL game less than 10 miles away from where he played high school football was special.

Finally, he admitted: "It was fun to be home."