ESPN Cover Story: Stefon Diggs Is Buffalo's Miracle Man

[BigDingus]

https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/30532083/stefon-diggs-buffalo-miracle-man

 

Damn, a Bills player being the cover story. Who woulda thunk it?

Really makes you wonder what all those Vikings fans laughing about how this trade would blow up in our faces are thinking right now 😂

 

Oh, and this snippet made me smile:

"My mom was screaming at the top of her lungs," Diggs remembers. "Originally, she said, 'I want some of them chicken wings!'" He laughs. "She was happy for me. She was happy for a new beginning."

Edited December 17, 2020 by BigDingus

[Royale with Cheese]

Diggs has brought an attitude to our offense that we haven't had in forever.  He has helped our mentality and that is something that has tremendously helped us that's not measured on the stat sheet.

[Stank_Nasty]

20 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

Diggs has brought an attitude to our offense that we haven't had in forever.  He has helped our mentality and that is something that has tremendously helped us that's not measured on the stat sheet.

i've said this before in another thread when somebody was claiming we "lost" the trade while they were just referencing jeffersons stats. Diggs brought a handful of extremely important things that arent on any stat sheet. Things that a rookie or even a year 2 guy isnt gonna bring. From what i've read he's a tireless worker. When your top 2 offensive players are there to outwork everyone, theres a trickle down effect.... i would guess the mindset that him and josh have brought rubs off on everyone. When the top guys set a standard everyone else feels that sense to duty.

 

4th and 3 and we gotta have it..... I may be taking diggs over ANYONE.

Edited December 17, 2020 by Stank_Nasty

[TroutDog]

That is a great read: thank you for sharing. 
 

Diggs and Josh are the real deal. Their commitment, drive and passion for both the game and Buffalo is clearly infectious. I love it!

[chris heff]

12 minutes ago, Stank_Nasty said:

i've said this before in another thread when somebody was claiming we "lost" the trade while they were just referencing jeffersons stats. Diggs brought a handful of extremely important things that arent on any stat sheet. Things that a rookie or even a year 2 guy isnt gonna bring. From what i've read he's a tireless worker. When your top 2 offensive players are there to outwork everyone, theirs a trickle down effect.... i would guess mindset that him and josh have brought rubs off on everyone. When the top guys set a standard everyone else feels that sense to duty.

 

4th and 3 and we gotta have it..... I may be taking diggs over ANYONE.

I tried to look it up, but who has more 3rd and 4th down conversions, Diggs or Beasley?

[Big Turk]

I love him even more now that I know he chose "The Alchemist" to read prior to coming here as a means of introspection.  That book has changed my life in many ways...it is AMAZING and I have read it probably 5 or 6 times and learn something new everytime I read it.

[Don Otreply]

Acquiring Diggs was a killer achievement by Beane, the overall impact of his skill set, knowledge and the desire to impart the attitude and practices of winner to his teammates can not be over stated. Jefferson is good for a rookie, (Vikings 6-7) but he doesn’t hold a candle to the impact Diggs is having on this team. (Bills 10-3) The Bills flat out got the better deal on the trade, it’s not even arguable in my opinion. 
 

Go Bills!!!

Edited December 18, 2020 by Don Otreply

[Seasons1992]

9 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

I love him even more now that I know he chose "The Alchemist" to read prior to coming here as a means of introspection.  That book has changed my life in many ways...it is AMAZING and I have read it probably 5 or 6 times and learn something new everytime I read it.

 

HOW GOOD IS THAT BOOK!!!???

 

Amazing. Just read it for the first time a month ago. I highly recommend The Alchemist to everyone that reads this forum.

[eball]

6 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

HOW GOOD IS THAT BOOK!!!???

 

Amazing. Just read it for the first time a month ago. I highly recommend The Alchemist to everyone that reads this forum.

 

Just ordered it.  Thanks.

[NoHuddleKelly12]

Just finished the article--absolutely has already made my day. I wanna go jump through a table now or something--the Broncos game can't start soon enough!! 

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

McD's observation in that article is spot-on.  The one thing I noticed is how Diggs has upped the play of those around him.  I feel like drops are down this year, and the other receivers are making more ridiculous catches on a routine basis.  
 

edit: one other thing. I went back to look at Diggs’ GW playoff catch. I had no memory of that. Great play. I thought the Bills only suffer heart-wrenching plays— Saints must be sick to their stomachs allowing that catch to lose a playoff game. 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Miyagi-Do Karate

[Royale with Cheese]

51 minutes ago, Stank_Nasty said:

i've said this before in another thread when somebody was claiming we "lost" the trade while they were just referencing jeffersons stats. Diggs brought a handful of extremely important things that arent on any stat sheet. Things that a rookie or even a year 2 guy isnt gonna bring. From what i've read he's a tireless worker. When your top 2 offensive players are there to outwork everyone, theres a trickle down effect.... i would guess the mindset that him and josh have brought rubs off on everyone. When the top guys set a standard everyone else feels that sense to duty.

 

4th and 3 and we gotta have it..... I may be taking diggs over ANYONE.

It's so beautiful isn't it?

[Stank_Nasty]

Just now, Royale with Cheese said:

It's so beautiful isn't it?

[Royale with Cheese]

Just now, Stank_Nasty said:

 

[Seasons1992]

2 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

It's so beautiful isn't it?

 

The only time I feared 4th down this season was that Rams game.........and it "worked" out in our favor. 

 

I don't care about 4th down and going for it now. They are great at figuring out a solution.

 

Josh Allen thinks like this. 

 

[Big Turk]

10 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

McD's observation in that article is spot-on.  The one thing I noticed is how Diggs has upped the play of those around him.  I feel like drops are down this year, and the other receivers are making more ridiculous catches on a routine basis.  
 

edit: one other thing. I went back to look at Diggs’ GW playoff catch. I had no memory of that. Great play. I thought the Bills only suffer heart-wrenching plays— Saints must be sick to their stomachs allowing that catch to lose a playoff game. 

 

The Saints suffered two years in a row...they also had the Rams blatant PI that wasn't called to cost them their playoff game against them.

[IgotBILLStopay]

This was the bit that got me all mushy

 

Quote

Trevon, who was staying with Stefon in Florida, giggles when he recalls how excited his brother was about Allen after getting back home from the first in-person session with his new internet buddy.

"He just kept saying, 'He's real, bro,'" Trevon says. "They'd played games for a while and now they'd done passing and he felt like he knew. He could tell it was going to be special. He just kept saying it to me over and over. 'He's real, bro. He's real.'"

 

 

 

[TPS]

Yes, great read. Thanks.

[IgotBILLStopay]

Quote

AT ONE POINT during my conversation with Diggs, he muses for a stretch on whether he could join Trevon in playing cornerback in the league. Stefon grew up playing running back and sort of stumbled onto playing receiver, but he always had eyes on the defensive backs, entranced by the way they snatched a floating pass out of the air and took off running the other way.

"It'd be hard to cover," he says, "but I know I could sit back and zone or double a guy all day." This is a typical Diggs tangent, and he seems somewhere between intrigued and amused by the notion.

"I'd be like ... top-seven corners in the league," Diggs says finally. He cackles. "Might have to talk to Coach about that."

Note to McD - That is how you defend a Hail Mary!!!

[Royale with Cheese]

21 minutes ago, Seasons1992 said:

 

The only time I feared 4th down this season was that Rams game.........and it "worked" out in our favor. 

 

I don't care about 4th down and going for it now. They are great at figuring out a solution.

 

Josh Allen thinks like this. 

 

 

Never heard of this movie.  Did this star Corey Haim?

[Seasons1992]

4 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Never heard of this movie.  Did this star Corey Haim?

 

***actual video of @Royale with Cheese***

 

[Royale with Cheese]

@GunnerBill

 

My birthday present to you.  A photo of Stefon Diggs shirtless and a warm apple pie.

 

 

 

 

 

The day after Christmas

 

 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Royale with Cheese

[Andy1]

Thanks for the great read. With Diggs being 25, we should get to see many more years of his great plays. I love the confidence he brings to the whole offense. Him, Beas and Brown are an incredible threesome. What an amazing change from the years of the no name receivers. 

[Shaw66]

Read that article and feel good.

 

Makes you feel good about Diggs, about Allen, about John Brown, about Buffalo.  

[Buffalo Boy]

Awesome read😍

This is such a special moment to be a Bills fan. Us older guys know it. 
Diggs and Allen have the potential to be an all time great tandem. And we are just at the beginning of this marvelous ride.

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

@GunnerBill

 

My birthday present to you.  A photo of Stefon Diggs shirtless and a warm apple pie.

 

 

 

 

 

The day after Christmas

 

 

 

Thanks. I need some alone time.

[Jumpsuit Jim]

ESPN is the best. 

[Seasons1992]

27 minutes ago, Buffalo Boy said:

Us older guys know it.

 

This, and this all day. It's time for GOOD times.

[Kwai San]

AWESOME article as are the 2 about the kid with the blades and the personal chef links.

 

Oh so happy the Bills landed this guy!

 

Go BILLS!!!

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, chris heff said:

I tried to look it up, but who has more 3rd and 4th down conversions, Diggs or Beasley?

 

Diggs has more numerically (23 combined vs 13) but Beasley has a higher percentage (76.5% vs 69.6% for Diggs)

Diggs has 1 4th down conversion, Bease none (so far)

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DiggSt00/splits/2020/

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BeasCo00/splits/2020/

 

That said: Beasley had a truly professional reaction to the Diggs trade.  He was asked in an interview and basically said something to the effect that he'd grown past that and cared about winning and helping the team win more than about his personal role and stats now.  And he meant it.  So the cool thing is that having set his mind to that attitude, Beasley is having a year of great personal success.  He is already at or near a career year in many statistical categories tracked for a WR with 3 games to go - yards, Y/R, Y/Tgt, catch %.  It's just super-cool to see a "team first" attitude result in a career level of personal success.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

McD's observation in that article is spot-on.  The one thing I noticed is how Diggs has upped the play of those around him.  I feel like drops are down this year, and the other receivers are making more ridiculous catches on a routine basis. 

 

I feel the same.  More toe-drag catches, more going down for a ball, more jumping up for a ball, more ankles being broken across the corps in ways I did not see from Brown and Beasley last year.  

 

Hard to quantify but there, I believe it.  McD's comments indicate he sees it too.

 

I also think Diggs challenges Josh to raise his game as far as ball placement and anticipation on a throw in a way a rookie would be unlikely to do, but that perhaps Kirk Cousins would not (did not?) appreciate.

 

I think this trade was a true win-win for both sides.

[Bills fan since 87]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

 

The Saints suffered two years in a row...they also had the Rams blatant PI that wasn't called to cost them their playoff game against them.

 

And following those 2 years they lost at home to the Vikings on an overtime bomb from Cousins to the 3 and a touchdown to the TE a play or two later.

[GETTOTHE50]

I ❤️ diggs 

[Mat68]

Diggs makes Beasley, Brown, and Davis more productive.  In terms of coverage and defensive priority Diggs is 1 and 1.  Now what do they do with Beasley, Brown, and Davis?  Last week, first half was Buffalo vs Baltimore.  Thats how teams beat them.  Diggs destroyed that in the second half.  He is getting open by 10 yards on 10 yard routes.  Its unreal.  I like how Daboll changed the attack.  He needs to do it sooner.  In the playoffs you cant give up 1 quarter let alone 2.

[rayray808]

a match made in heaven 

[HappyDays]

This article reinforced my belief that McDermott's best quality as a coach is he takes players that feel like they have something left to prove, and he gives them every opportunity to prove it. The Bills mantra under this regime has been "come be the best version of yourself" and Diggs is the pinnacle of that.

[Buffalo Boy]

43 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Diggs has more numerically (23 combined vs 13) but Beasley has a higher percentage (76.5% vs 69.6% for Diggs)

Diggs has 1 4th down conversion, Bease none (so far)

 

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DiggSt00/splits/2020/

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BeasCo00/splits/2020/

 

That said: Beasley had a truly professional reaction to the Diggs trade.  He was asked in an interview and basically said something to the effect that he'd grown past that and cared about winning and helping the team win more than about his personal role and stats now.  And he meant it.  So the cool thing is that having set his mind to that attitude, Beasley is having a year of great personal success.  He is already at or near a career year in many statistical categories tracked for a WR with 3 games to go - yards, Y/R, Y/Tgt, catch %.  It's just super-cool to see a "team first" attitude result in a career level of personal success.

    I think this goes back to Daboll and the atmosphere he has created. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Daboll didn’t let Beasely and Brown know that he wanted to run a Wide Open passing Offense if he had the pieces and that they would be a huge part of it. I think Beasely and Brown already knew Josh, as well, and knew there would be plenty to go around. 

[Buffalo Boy]

10 minutes ago, Mat68 said:

He is getting open by 10 yards on 10 yard routes. 

I hope Davis is super hungry and takes advantage of the opportunity to have Diggs as a mentor.

Diggs’ footwork is unreal. Some of it is natural ability but a huge part of it is hard work/ repetition.

Watching Diggs lose defenders is like watching Tyson knock people out in his prime.

[Mat68]

I like how the now Bills fans are pushing back and saying Buffalo won the trade.  Funny how the narrative was Buffalo paid too much.  Besides price Diggs would not be more productive than he was for Cousins.  No way Allen gets more out of him.  Now, hes on pace for the best season of his career and will be named first team all pro.  Jefferson is a very good player.  However, Buffalo needed more than a talented pass catcher.

4 minutes ago, Buffalo Boy said:

I hope Davis is super hungry and takes advantage of the opportunity to have Diggs as a mentor.

Diggs’ footwork is unreal. Some of it is natural ability but a huge part of it is hard work/ repetition.

Watching Diggs lose defenders is like watching Tyson knock people out in his prime.

In terms of the trade, this is what he brings besides catching the football.  His attitude and swaggers brings so much to this team.

[Pokebball]

1 hour ago, Jumpsuit Jim said:

ESPN is the best. 

Yeah, the timing is suspect.  It's a great article though