Williams: 'We've got to get it going this week'

By BRIAN HALL FOXSportsNorth.com EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Kevin Williams had to watch the past two Minnesota Vikings games from his couch at home, frustrated he couldn't help his teammates as they let second-half leads slip away. Williams did a bit of yelling. He also had a way to channel his energy, playing some football with his son. Always the defender, Williams was trying to stop his Vikings-clad son from scoring touchdowns. "He had a great first half like we did," Williams said jokingly. "He didn't get that many in the second half. It was kind of tough, though. Watching it, how it unfolded in the end, I think we gave two games away. In this league we can't afford to do that. We've got to get it going this week." This week, Williams will get to take out his aggression on the unbeaten Detroit Lions. The Vikings host the 2-0 Lions, who have won six straight games dating back to last season. Williams finally gets to make his 2011 debut after serving his suspension for the StarCaps substance-abuse case. Williams said there is no doubt he is going to play Sunday, despite being hampered by plantar fasciitis during the preseason. Sitting out has been tough for the five-time All-Pro defensive tackle who simply hasn't missed many games in his eight-year career. Williams started the first 43 games of his career before missing two games in 2005 with a knee injury. He had started 83 games since returning in week 14 of the 2005 season. "I'm definitely going to play," Williams said. "Sitting at home two weeks was bad enough. The foot ain't going to stop me." The Vikings activated Williams after releasing defensive end Adrian Awasom on Tuesday. Williams said he spent the past two weeks working out at Lifetime Fitness and working with doctors at the Tria Orthopedic Center in Bloomington. "I won't say I'm a full 100 percent, but I'm probably as close as I'm going to get at this time of the year," Williams said. "We'll just evaluate it week to week and hopefully it holds up." Having Williams back to anchor the middle should help a defense that has fallen apart in the second half of its first two games. Minnesota ranks 20th overall in team defense and is 24th in pass defense. But it's how those yards have come that has been the most troubling aspect. The Vikings have allowed 235 offensive yards to opponents during the first half, but have given up 507 yards in the second half of the two games, much coming by way of short passing. "Kevin Williams is an impact player and he is a potential Hall of Famer," Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier said. "So having him back, not only what he does on the football field, but the intangibles in the locker room for me as a guy to lean on to get certain things done and communicated will be big factor to help us go forward. But Kevin is not necessarily the end all for some of the things we are dealing with. It's bigger than Kevin, but he will be a tremendous plus for us." Williams will not be paid for the next two weeks as part of his punishment in the StarCaps case. The big defensive tackle was docked pay for four weeks and suspended for two weeks in the final resolution to the long-delayed case which dates back to the end of the 2008 season. Williams, along with former teammate Pat Williams and New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith, was suspended in December of 2008 for taking the weight-loss supplement Star Caps, which contained a banned diuretic. The suspension was blocked legally a few days later and led to a lengthy legal battle the past few years, but Williams gave up his part of the legal battle earlier this year. Williams is glad to have the suspension behind him, but isn't thrilled about playing for free. "I try not to think about it anymore," Williams said. "It's become a numb feeling that I'll be out there for two weeks without pay."