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Stefon Diggs’ breakout game fuels further hope for ascending Patriots offense
"He looked a little faster than I thought. He looked pretty fast."
After another frustrating loss to the Steelers in Week 3, Drake Maye was asked about some the measures needed to get New England’s inconsistent offense humming once again.
One of the young QB’s top priorities? Getting Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs the ball.
“We try to put him in circumstances where he’s getting the ball and an option to get the ball on big plays. He had a big third down catch [during the Steelers game],” Maye said last week. “The first third down we had, I probably should have thrown it to him. Little things like that.
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“We had a fourth down against Miami. He’s making plays, so he’s in positions on key downs to make plays. I’ve got full trust in him. He just keeps showing it every week.”
While Diggs’ resume speaks for itself, the veteran wideout had struggled to make much of an impact as a legitimate No. 1 option on New England’s offense through three games. Through three games, the 31-year-old had reeled in 13 catches for 112 total yards.
On Sunday, Diggs nearly eclipsed that total in just one game against the Panthers.
During an afternoon where Maye and the Patriots’ offense showcased plenty of potential as a dynamic and efficient unit, it should come as little surprise that Diggs finally broke through with his best game with New England.
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Diggs closed out Sunday’s 42-13 win over Carolina with six catches off of seven targets for a team-best 101 receiving yards.
Even though he didn’t find the end zone, Diggs’ crisp route-running made him a dependable target for Maye — who also hit him for two explosive plays of 33 and 22 yards, respectively.
In total, New England’s offense generated seven plays that went for 20+ yards on Sunday.
“He looked a little faster than I thought. He looked pretty fast,” Maye joked postgame. “I think he’s just going to keep getting more comfortable. Shoot, he’s a great player with the ball in his hands. He’s a great leader on this team. He’s great with energy, being positive, and glad he’s a Patriot.”
For Diggs, Sunday’s result was a welcome sight for several reasons. Beyond helping New England get back to .500 with a much-needed win, Diggs took another step forward in his recovery from a torn ACL last October.
Sunday marked the first time that Diggs surpassed 100 receiving yards in a single game since Oct. 15, 2023.
“I was just fighting to get back,” Diggs said. “Fighting to get back and be on another team. Prove it again. Not only prove it to everybody else, but also prove it to myself. I knew that I could do it. I was confident.
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“But when things like this turn the corner, when you work extremely hard and you’re consistent and you don’t waver and the tide turns, it’s like, this is why you’re consistent. This is why you don’t waver. This is why you don’t flinch. My biggest thing is don’t flinch.”
Even though Diggs looked like his vintage self on Sunday against Carolina, the four-time Pro Bowler said that he has plenty of work to do when it comes to learning the ins and outs of Josh McDaniels’ dense offensive playbook.
“Five out of 10,” Diggs said of his comfort level in New England’s offense. “I’ll take it with a grain of salt. Obviously having success is not — it’s week-to-week and it’s been a slow ramp up or build up… being comfortable is a state of mind. I’ve still got to study. I’ve still got to flip the pages. I’ve still got to grind.”
Next up on the docket for Diggs and the Patriots? A primetime matchup against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills next Sunday night.
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It will be Diggs’ first game back in Buffalo since the Bills traded him to the Texans in April 2024 after four standout seasons as Allen’s No. 1 target.
“They’re a hell of a football team,” Diggs said of the Bills. “In the division, they say it’s one game, but it damn near counts as two. And it’s hard to win on the road. So we gotta go in with the right mindset playing a real good football team, a well-coached football team with a lot of good players over there. Shout out to Josh.
“I look forward to the challenge. I know the guys look forward to the challenge. It’s going to be a good test for us.”
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