After corrective wrist surgery, Bills DE Mario Williams is back to his 'Super Mario' form of old. (US Presswire)

It looks like Mario Williams was right all along.

The Bills' standout defensive end was a frequent target earlier this season when his production on the field failed to match the massive $100 million contract he received in March. When word got out that Williams was dealing with an injured left wrist, he was criticized for using the injury as an excuse for his struggles.

Williams maintained all along that he would play better once he was back to 100 percent. He looks like a soothsayer now.

Williams underwent wrist surgery during Buffalo's Week 8 bye, and he’s been a different player ever since. The 6-foot-6, 292-pound DE has reverted back to “Super Mario” form in recent weeks and has been a difference-maker on Buffalo’s resurgent defense.

“He seems to make a big play or two every week right now,” coach Chan Gailey said. “And that’s huge for our defense.”

Williams has indeed been racking up big plays as of late. In Sunday’s win over Jacksonville, Williams had a momentum-changing sack/forced fumble late in the first half. Four plays later, a Rian Lindell field goal gave the Bills a 17-10 lead heading into halftime -- a lead they would not relinquish.

One week before that, Williams had three sacks against the Indianapolis Colts and was a key figure in one of Buffalo’s best defensive efforts of the season. Since undergoing wrist surgery, he has six sacks in five games.

It’s no coincidence that Buffalo’s defense has put together its best performances of the season over the last month.

“I think that’s what we had all seen before he got here,” Gailey said. “He’s obviously playing extremely well right now vs. the run and the pass."

After his weekly media session on Wednesday, Williams elaborated on his play and the criticism he faced with a small group of reporters. He said he was not upset with the claims that he was using the injury as an excuse.

“Nah, because 9 out of 10 of those people probably never played football in their life,” Williams said. “So I pity them making a judgment on something. They couldn’t come in here for walkthroughs for us. To me, I really don’t care. It is what it is, players, you get an injury, a freak injury, something happens.

"I mean, sometimes it’s easier to deal with at different positions and sometimes it’s not. Sometimes you can’t. Sometimes you have to accommodate and get used to it. And I think the biggest thing for me after the surgery as well was just being so used to it at this point that it was second nature. Whenever I actually do get 100 percent back with my wrist, that probably will be new to me. That’s just how I see it. There’s definitely no [animosity] ... people can say what they want to say.

“I was always told it’s not an excuse whenever you’re asked. And that’s the reason why when this whole thing started at first, cause it happened obviously a long time ago, I never said anything about it. And then I’m asked about it, and it’s an excuse. It is what it is after that. I played through it and didn’t say anything about it until all of a sudden it blew up, and then all of the sudden it was I left and didn’t tell anybody. ... It’s just like I said, if I asked you a question, give me an answer. I’m not calling that an excuse regardless.”

The best news for Bills fans? Williams still feels he has some room for improvement, as he’s not yet completely back to 100 percent.

“No, I’m still ... until it’s done, which obviously with something like that, with having a procedure in the middle of the season that most people probably wouldn’t have even been playing right now, until after the season cause we’re beating on it constantly,” he said. “I’m not going to be back to where I feel like I’m at [full health] until after the season.

"But I’m definitely progressing and before I even got [the surgery], I said the reason why I’m doing this is because I know that healing is going to occur. I’m getting back there. I’m just anxious to be back to 100 [percent].”

For more updates on the Bills, follow correspondent Mark Ludwiczak on Twitter @CBSBills and @MarkLud12.