Locals in the NFL: On pace for 1K yards, durable Jamaal Williams has Lions streaking

AROUND THE SHIELD — The Detroit Lions are streaking, and Jamaal Williams is having the time of his life.

The former BYU running back ran for a team-high 59 yards and a touchdown, including the game-winning score on a 1-yard run with 2:21 left in the Lions' 31-30 win Sunday over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago for Detroit's second-straight win.

Combined with last week's 15-9 win over Green Bay, the victory marks the Lions' first win streak of the year, the first back-to-back wins since Oct. 25, 2020, and the first time Detroit has won on the road after trailing by at least 14 points in the fourth quarter since 1993, a span of 98 games.

The streak may have felt just as long for Williams, who became BYU's all-time leading rusher as a senior in 2016. The Fontana, California, native ran his season total to 545 yards and eight touchdowns, which is tied for the second-most rushing scores in the NFL just over halfway through the regular season.

According to ESPN, Williams is on track for 1,158 rushing yards, which would be the most in his career and his first 1,000-yard season as a professional (he topped the 1,000-yard mark twice at BYU, in 2013 and 2016).

"Since we got him a year ago, he's been the model of consistency for us offensively," Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said of Williams. "He runs hard; it might not be flashy or sexy all the time. But he finds a way to always fall forward when he's tackled. And he has the ability to break some tackles and make big plays.

"He's been exactly what we want from a physical, downhill running back. He's really embraced that role."

Williams also had a key first-down run that helped the Lions (3-6) run out the clock against the Bears (3-7), running behind a mammoth offensive line that includes former Desert Hills star Penei Sewell for the best season of his career.

Part of Williams' ability this year is availability, as the cliche goes. He's been healthy, often told to take a play or two off by his running backs coach (and occasionally against this own wishes) to keep him ready for bigger moments. Always ready and full of energy, the fun-loving Williams has been a joy to Detroit's locker room — both on and off the field, running backs coach Duce Staley said earlier this week.

"He's durable," Staley added. "That's the one thing you look at. As much as we run the ball, you've got to have a guy like that: consistent and durable. I'm happy to have him."

Another former BYU standout helped Detroit's division rival Minnesota shoot up the standings with a wild 33-30 overtime win over Buffalo.

Nose tackle Khyiris Tonga had the best game of his young Vikings career for a defense that allowed 486 yards but only three touchdowns against Josh Allen and the Bills. The former BYU and Granger High standout totaled three tackles, his most since last year's playoffs and tied for the second-most of his two-year career.

Tonga was released by the Bears following preseason games Aug. 31 and spent four weeks on the Falcons' practice squad before being signed by Minnesota, which improved to 8-1 on the season with its seventh consecutive win and second-straight when trailing by 10 points or more in the fourth quarter.

Here's how other former high school and college football standouts performed in Week 10 of the 2022 NFL regular season.

Teams on bye

• Baltimore Ravens (6 -3)
• New England Patriots (5-4)
• New York Jets (6-3)
• Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)

Monday Night Football

Washington 32, Philadelphia 31

Commanders (5-5)

• Dax Milne, WR/RS, BYU/Bingham: Fielded one punt for 12 yards and a fair catch on special teams
• Tyler Larsen, OC, Utah State/Jordan: Starting center had one fumble

Eagles (8-1)

• Sua Opeta, OG, Weber State/Stansbury: Inactive for Week 10
• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: Fielded one punt for five yards with a fair catch, two kick returns for 40 yards on special teams

Sunday Night Football

San Francisco 22, Los Angeles 16

49ers (5-4)

• Fred Warner, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker had seven tackles and three passes defended on defense
• Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah: Punted four times for 132 yards (33.0 yards per punt) with one punt downed inside the 20 with five snaps at holder

Chargers (5-4)

• Michael Davis, CB, BYU: Starting cornerback finished with six tackles on defense
• Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Starting edge rusher had two tackles on defense
• Alohi Gilman, S, Orem: Reserve safety totaled six tackles on defense

Sunday afternoon

Indianapolis 25, Las Vegas 20

Colts (4-5-1)

• Julian Blackmon, DB, Utah/Layton: Starting safety had one tackle on defense
• Zack Moss, RB, Utah: Reserve running back ran for four yards on one carry on offense

Raiders (2-7)

• Andre James, OC, Herriman: Started at center on offense
• Jackson Barton, OT, Utah/Brighton: Inactive for Week 10

Green Bay 31, Dallas 28 (OT)

Packers (4-6)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Active, but did not play
• Dallin Leavitt, DB, Utah State/BYU: Reserve safety made one tackle on special teams

Cowboys (6-3)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham: Starting tight end caught six passes for 54 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown on offense

Arizona 27, Los Angeles 17

Cardinals (4-6)

• Leki Fotu, DT, Utah/Herriman: Starting nose tackle had two tackles and a quarterback hit on defense

Rams (3-6)

• Bobby Wagner, LB, Utah State: Starting linebacker totaled nine tackles, a sack and a quarterback hit on defense
• Matt Gay, K, Utah/UVU/Orem: Kicked a 36-yard field goal with two extra points and four kickoffs
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Reserve defensive tackle made one stop on defense

Tampa Bay 21, Seattle 16

Buccaneers (5-5)

• No locals on the active roster

Seahawks (6-4)

• Cody Barton, LB, Utah/Brighton: Starting linebacker recorded his first career interception on defense
• Bryan Mone, DT, Highland: Inactive for Week 10

Minnesota 33, Buffalo 30

Vikings (8-1)

• Khyiris Tonga, DT, BYU/Granger: Reserve interior lineman had three tackles on defense

Bills (6-3)

• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Starting linebacker had six tackles and a tackle for loss on defense

Detroit 31, Chicago 30

Lions (3-6)

• Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU: Reserve running back ran for a team-high 59 yards on 16 carries, including the game-winning touchdown with 2:21 remaining on offense
• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills: Started at right tackle

Bears (3-7)

• Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah: Starting cornerback totaled four tackles on defense
• Patrick Scales, LS, Utah State/Weber: Played eight snaps at long snapper on special teams
• Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah: Started at left tackle

Kansas City 27, Jacksonville 17

Chiefs (7-2)

• No locals on the active roster

Jaguars (3-7)

• Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Starting linebacker had three tackles and a fumble recovery on defense

Miami 39, Cleveland 17

Dolphins (7-3)

• Eric Rowe, DB, Utah: Starting safety totaled one tackle on defense

Browns (3-6)

• Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker tied for team-high with 10 tackles and a tackle for loss on defense

New York 24, Houston 16

Giants (7-2)

• No locals on the active roster

Texans (1-7-1)

• No locals on the active roster

Pittsburgh 20, New Orleans 10

Steelers (3-6)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East: Reserve running back ran for 37 yards on nine carries, caught three passes for 40 yards on offense
• Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah: Reserve safety played mostly on special teams

Saints (3-7)

• Taysom Hill, TE, BYU: Starting tight end ran for one yard on three carries, attempted one pass on offense
• Rashid Shaheed, WR/RS, Weber State: Reserve receiver caught one pass for one yard on offense, returned four kicks for 93 yards with three fair catches on punt return
• Kaden Elliss, LB, Judge Memorial: Starting linebacker posted seven tackles, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble on defense
• Daniel Sorensen, S, BYU: Reserve safety played mostly on special teams

Tennessee 17, Denver 10

Titans (6-3)

• No locals on the active roster

Broncos (3-6)

• No locals on the active roster

Thursday Night Football

Carolina 25, Atlanta 15

Panthers (3-7)

• Brady Christensen, OG, BYU/Bountiful: Starting left guard played all 66 offense snaps, with six more on special teams

Falcons (4-6)

• Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU: Reserve running back ran for 20 yards on eight carries, caught three passes for 17 yards in 30 offensive snaps

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