Throughout the course of the regular season Tim Twentyman will answer 10 good questions from his Twitter account @ttwentyman in a feature we call "10 Questions with Twentyman."
20man: Rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams played eight offensive snaps in his debut last week.
"Honestly, today was just about getting his legs under him," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said of Williams' debut after the Jacksonville game. "Go through pregame, be on the sideline, you got your pads on, run into a huddle, run out, line up, wrestle with someone one-on-one a little bit. It was really that, just to get him somewhat acclimated."
I would expect to see Williams' snaps at least double after another week of practice and him getting more acclimated into the offense and building chemistry with quarterback Jared Goff. I would expect somewhere between 15-20 snaps with a couple plays potentially designed specifically for him in there.
Okwara said this week he's expecting to play, but I would guess he'd be on a snap count after missing more than a year with the Achilles injury.
20man: It's really going to depend on how these last five games go. If the Lions go from three wins in 2021 to the playoffs in 2022, he very much deserves to be in the conversation.
Philadelphia's Howie Roseman, Buffalo's Brandon Beane and Miami's Chris Grier have done terrific jobs making the Eagles, Bills and Dolphins contenders, and are probably the favorites in the clubhouse.
But if the Lions end the season with six straight wins, get to 10 and make the playoffs, with the rookie class Holmes and company assembled making a huge impact along the way, I can see Holmes being part of the discussion.
20man: The two for me this week are Goff and cornerback Jeff Okudah.
Can Goff continue his terrific play and go a fifth straight game without turning the ball over? If he does that, the Lions have a great shot to win.
Detroit did a great job Week 3 of limiting All-Pro Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson to just three catches for 14 yards. That will be hard to duplicate again, but if Okudah can just limit Jefferson from the big plays and a monster game, Detroit's chances of winning Sunday increase even more.
20man: It would definitely be the signature win so far in Campbell's tenure. I thought he had an opportunity for that on Thanksgiving in front of a national audience but fell a little short. Beating a 10-2 team and thwarting their division title hopes, while also winning a fifth game in six weeks, would go a long way in proving this Lions team has arrived and is a legit threat down the stretch.
20man: The Lions have a few decisions to make offensively with pending free agents like running back Jamaal Williams and wide receiver DJ Chark, but for the most part, they have a vast majority of players set to return on that side of the ball.
The defense has played a lot better the last month and a half, but there's still some work to be done. They could use some more secondary depth at cornerback and safety. I like how the linebacker position has evolved over the course of the season, but they could use one more player there. Adding a playmaking interior defender could go a long way with making that whole defensive front seven more explosive.
Here's a comparison of Detroit's offensive and defensive rankings through 14 weeks:
Just by the numbers alone, the defense needs a little more juice.
20man: It hasn't changed at all.
This is the same team and same locker room environment it was back then when they were losing games as it is right now when they're winning. I think that's a reflection of Campbell and him being the same coach with the same demeanor and mindset win or lose. He's authentic that way.
This team was still a confident bunch even when they were losing early. They talked about being close and had a ton of confidence these would be the results they'd see later in the year if they just continued to grind through the tough times and learn how to win some games late along the way.
20man: It's simply a case where defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn feels better playing Jerry Jacobs and Mike Hughes over Oruwariye. Jacobs is definitely a Glenn kind of player with his toughness and cover skills. Oruwariye lost his spot, but that doesn't mean the Lions won't need to count on him later on. This is where we'll see what Oruwariye's character is made of.
20man: We asked special teams coordinator Dave Fipp about Williams being a gunner again this week and Fipp wouldn't spill the beans. I could see it another week or two as the team ramps up Williams' reps on offense. That kind of speed at the gunner position can make a real difference.
Who isn't impressed with what James Houston has done over his last two games (3.0 sacks)? Houston will continue to see his reps increase the more he makes plays. The big thing for him being able to unlock a bigger number of reps and not just pass-rush situations is him developing a greater understanding of the entire picture on defense and his responsibilities in base and sub packages. That will come the more he plays and practices with the defense.
20man: Challenging for the NFC North is the floor for next ceiling in my book. I've been very consistent with my goals for the second year of the Holmes and Campbell regime this year. At least double the three wins from a season ago and play meaningful games in December. They are playing meaningful games in December, and I'd expect them to get at least one more win in their next five to double their win total from a year ago.
The next step is to challenge for the NFC North title in 2023 and at the very least earn a playoff bid as a Wild Card. Anything less than that is not progress in my book.
20man: I have to admit Jacobs is one of my favorite players on the roster. An undrafted player who put his head down and worked his butt off playing a physical brand of ball that earned him everything he's got now.
Opposing passers have a 53.6 completion percentage throwing Jacobs' way since he returned from a torn ACL suffered last season. Opposing quarterbacks have combined for a 73.2 passer rating throwing at Jacobs and he has yet to allow a touchdown in his coverage this season.
He's got a key matchup this week against Thielen, if the Lions opt to travel Okudah with Jefferson. Oruwariye had a tough game against Thielen Week 3. If Jacobs holds up much better, the Lions' chances of winning Sunday are that much better.
