Every hero has his sidekick – even on the football field.
If Dez Bryant is the Batman of the Dallas Cowboys offense, that makes Terrance Williams his reliable sidekick, Robin. Dez and Williams are the caped crusaders of America’s Team.
An underrated and overshadowed wide receiver, Terrance Williams’ big play ability has helped make a name for himself during his first two professional seasons.
Drafted in the 3rd round of the 2013 NFL draft, Dallas selected Williams out of Baylor University with the 74th overall pick. He had a prolific collegiate career in four seasons as a Baylor Bear, and was the go-to wideout of eventual Heisman winner and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Robert Griffin III. In 2012, Williams led the nation in receiving yards with 1,832 in his senior year while also hauling in 12 touchdowns.
During his rookie training camp, Williams supplanted Dwayne Harris for the 3rd wide receiver on the roster. Sprinkled with opportunities, Williams took advantage of the starting role as a result of Miles Austin’s chronic injuries.
Williams finished his rookie year with 44 receptions, 736 yards and five touchdowns. He also set a Cowboys rookie record by recording a touchdown grab in four consecutive games between weeks five and eight. Williams solidified his role as the number two wide receiver by the end of the 2013 season, superseding Miles Austin (who was cut months after the conclusion of the season).
Looking to build on a successful rookie campaign, Williams’ sophomore year got off to a scorching hot beginning. He recorded six touchdown catches in the first seven weeks, propelling Dallas to a red-hot 6-1 record. Williams was a constant deep threat for defenses and he exploited opposing secondaries double-teaming Dez.
He concluded the season with eight touchdowns and 621 yards, while averaging a whopping 16.8 yards per catch. Williams seemed to shine under the brightest lights, coming down with key receptions in critical situations throughout the season.
Week 6 in Seattle was a breakout moment for Terrance Williams. Dallas stormed into CenturyLink field after four consecutive victories. Russell Wilson was an impressive 20-1 in his career at home, up to this point.
The Cowboys would defeat the Seahawks and quiet the 12th man, but not without heroics from their Robin. On the eventual game winning drive, Dallas faced a critical 3rd and 20 with less than five minutes to play and trailing by three. Tony Romo, disguised as Harry Houdini on this play, was a magician in the pocket as he maneuvered away from pressure to heave a ball down the field.
Williams came out of nowhere to make an incredible toe-dragging catch to extend the drive.
Terrance Williams proved himself yet again when it mattered most.
In the first round of the playoff, Dallas faced Detroit in the wild-card matchup. The NFL’s premiere offense had gotten off to a slow, sloppy start and faced a 14-0 deficit with less than two minutes remaining in the first half.
Williams hauled in a 76 yard touchdown reception on a 3rd and 12. This was arguably the most important score of the season for the Cowboys, who desperately needed to get on the board before halftime.
As the Cowboys hopes walked the tight rope, Terrance Williams once again found himself in the end zone. Romo connected with the speedster on an eight yard, game-winning touchdown catch with just two and a half minutes remaining.
This performance made Williams the first Cowboys receiver to catch two touchdowns in a playoff game since 1995, when Hall of Fame wideout Michael Irvin did so.
A nail-biting victory on wild-card weekend sent Dallas onto Lambeau Field to face-off verses the Green Bay Packers. Although the Cowboys’ Super Bowl aspirations would fall short in a loss, Williams made his presence felt. He only caught one pass, but it was good for a 38 yard touchdown.
In his first two career playoff games, Williams scored three touchdowns on just four receptions for 130 yards. He outperformed Dez Bryant, who failed to record a touchdown in either game.
The Cowboys offense features some of the league’s most prolific players – Dez, Romo, Jason Witten – yet second-year wide receiver Terrance Williams developed into a scoring threat with a knack for the big play.
In such a small sample size – 34 games (including playoffs) – Williams has burst onto the scene. Hidden in the shadows of arguably the NFL’s most talented receiver, Williams will continue to see many opportunities while opponents put all of their focus on Dez.
Despite the departure of DeMarco Murray, the Cowboys offense will remain one of the league’s top dogs heading into 2015. Dez and Williams pack a scary 1, 2 punch for the reigning NFC East champions.
The Cowboys’ version of Batman & Robin have the firepower to lead this team back into the playoffs.
