Chargers' top pick Mike Williams is finally working his way into the game plan

COSTA MESA, Calif. _ It has been nearly seven months since the Los Angeles Chargers took receiver Mike Williams with the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, and they're finally beginning to see results.

Williams played a season-high 41 snaps Sunday in the Chargers' 54-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills, catching five passes on eight targets in what was his biggest involvement in a game to date.

"Yeah, it felt like a normal game to me. Just to get a chance to get balls thrown to me and get some targets, I just felt like I was back in college again," he said. "In college I got a lot of balls thrown my way, so I feel like I got a lot of targets in that game, and a lot of opportunities to make plays."

Williams didn't come down with the one big play with which he was tasked, a potential touchdown pass from Philip Rivers in the first half that bounced out of his hands with a defender all over him.

While it would've been a tough play to make for his first career touchdown, it was one Williams said he should've made.

"I've made that catch 90 out of 91 times," Williams said. "That was on me. I should have come down with that one."

Williams has been slowly pushed into the Chargers' fold since sitting out nearly all of the offseason and the entire preseason because of a lower-back injury. He made his debut in the Chargers' victory over Oakland in Week 6.

"I think he's shown why he's the seventh pick in the draft," coach Anthony Lynn said. "He did some physical things really well. He's getting better and better every single week. If he continues to do that, he will get more targets."

Williams' confidence appears to be on the rise along with his snap counts, a sign of the team's belief in him.

"Each week you can tell he's getting more confident, he's getting better at his routes, getting more confident going up for the ball," cornerback Casey Hayward said. "Hopefully this week he can continue to get better. ... He was targeted some more, so hopefully that seventh pick can really show what he can do when he's really healthy."