Jamaal Williams is having a career year for the Detroit Lions.
He one-upped himself on Sunday, scoring a career-high three rushing touchdowns in the Lions’ 31-18 win over the New York Giants.
That gives BYU’s all-time leading rusher a NFL-leading 12 rushing touchdowns this season.
His three short-yardage touchdown runs — of four, one and one yards — gave the Lions a 24-6 third-quarter lead and moved him past Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, who have 11 and 10 rushing touchdowns, respectively, through Week 11.
“Really, I just feel like I’m doing my job,” Williams told reporters after the game. “I just want to come in here and do my job at the highest level possible and I really just want to keep influencing people with my play. I just want to keep going. I really just want to see my team win.”
What Detroit Lions record is Jamaal Williams closing in on?
Williams’ latest performance caused his name to be brought up in conversation with Barry Sanders, the former Lions Hall of Fame running back.
Sunday was Williams’ fifth game with multiple rushing touchdowns this season, tying Sanders for the franchise record, according to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard.
Williams also became the first back to score multiple rushing touchdowns in at least five of his team’s first 10 games since another Hall of Famer, LaDainian Tomlinson, did so in 2006, per NFL research.
With seven games remaining in the regular season, Williams is only four touchdowns short of tying the Lions’ single-season record of 16 rushing touchdowns, set by Sanders in 1991.
“Don’t tell me none of this,” Williams said, per the Detroit Free Press. “I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want none of it. I don’t want to hear none of this.”
What kind of season is Jamaal Williams on pace for?
His 17 carries for 64 yards against the Giants give Williams a career-high 668 rushing yards this season.
He is on pace to run for 1,135 yards and 20 touchdowns.
To put that in perspective, the last time a running back had 20 or more rushing touchdowns in a season was 2006, when Tomlinson set the single-season record with 28.
There have only been 11 times when a NFL running back ran for 20 or more rushing touchdowns in a season, according to Pro Football Reference.
“He’s our horse, and any time we get down there tight in the red zone, it feels automatic with him,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said postgame about Williams. “As a quarterback, sometimes you want to throw them in. But Jamaal is automatic, and I certainly have no upset-ness about scoring touchdowns with him.”