Demetrius Williams took no chances in Atlanta. In a half-empty stadium, and in a game that seemingly held interest only to the bubble guys on the Ravens' roster, Williams had no trouble finding motivation.
It was survival.
"My thought process," Williams said Friday, "was just to make the team. That was the biggest thing for me. Every year ... people take it as a given they're going to make the team. I can't approach it like that."
The fourth-year veteran wide receiver was not a bubble guy, especially on a team desperate for receiving depth. But he played like it in the Ravens' 20-3 preseason win over the Falcons Thursday night.
Williams pulled in three passes and drew a pass interference penalty on one of Atlanta's starting cornerbacks on the Ravens' first offensive series, leading to a touchdown. On the first series of the second half, he and quarterback John Beck teamed up for a 39-yard pass-and-run play.
The Ravens must trim their roster from 75 to 53 by 4 p.m. today. The process was expected to begin Friday after a morning workout and meetings with the personnel department and coaching staff.
If there were any doubt about Williams going into Thursday's game, there certainly was none coming out. Except for the virus he battled during the previous 36 hours, Williams is finally healthy for the Ravens. His chronic Achilles' tendon issue, he says, is history. The hamstring injury that raised doubts about his durability in training camp is gone.
After three years of tantalizing the Ravens with his sprinter's speed, athletic 6-foot-2 frame and long reach, might this be Williams' best chance yet to deliver on the promise that made him a steal in the fourth round of the 2006 draft?
"As far as being healthy, being out there and being a guy they can count on, I think so," he said.
Where Williams fits in the passing game is unclear. Derrick Mason remains the go-to receiver, and free-agent addition Kelley Washington appears to have earned a starting job. While Mark Clayton recovers from a partially torn hamstring, Williams has worked as the No. 3 wide-out, a spot he could hold if he follows up on his solid preseason.
In four games this summer, Williams, 26, averaged 13.7 yards on 11 catches. That's 2 yards under his three-year average of 15.7. If Williams can become a deep threat for quarterback Joe Flacco, the offense will become more balanced.
