Roy remembers. And he still isn't backing down.

"People didn't understand that," Williams said Thursday. "In Week 17, we went to Dallas and scored 39 points when everybody was clicking. So that's the kind of offense we're in. We're a little bit more comfortable with it (now). So hopefully this year we can put up 40 points a game."

You can write that off as Roy being Roy. But Williams isn't the only one excited about the Lions' offense after eight days of practices at training camp. He's just the most colorful.

"It's not perfect right now, but it's way further along than we were at any point in this offense," center Dominic Raiola said after yesterday morning's practice. "To be that far along this early, it's unbelievable, especially in this offense. That last period we had was awesome. I think that's one of the best periods I've been around."

Raiola, a former Saint Louis School star, is as gung-go and intense as anyone, but he is a realist. He has been with the Lions since 2001, which means he has experienced all of the 24-72 Matt Millen era — and nothing else. He has seen high hopes in training camp, only to see them dashed during the season. When he says things like this, he says them quietly. He looks like he wants to knock on wood.

One thing, though. Coach Rod Marinelli has gone easier on the players this year because he thinks they have earned it through good effort and execution. That means something to Raiola.

"Every year, it seems like you hear this," Raiola said. "I'm going to go along with Marinelli because I think he's a real man. He'll tell you like it is, tell you straight up how he feels things are going.

"I think they're going just as he thinks they are, which is real well right now. It's still early, but we'll see. I want to say less and less about this season and just kind of go out and put it on tape."

Most of the players have had a year to learn the system from offensive coordinator Mike Martz, and that has made a big difference. Left tackle Jeff Backus said now the players just quickly review things in the evening meetings.

"It's fresh in everybody's minds," said Backus, who, like Raiola, joined the Lions in 2001 and is usually cautious in his optimism. "We're executing at a higher level now in practice. Everything's a lot crisper."

And slower. In a good way.

"When guys feel more comfortable and have confidence in what they're doing, the game slows down in a sense," Raiola said. "You know where people are going. You can kind of make calls before they happen."

Martz hasn't yelled as much as he did before. That might say more than anything else.