Article: Stefon Diggs discusses how his 'by-the-book' approach changed after playing with Josh Allen

[CNY315]

https://www.audacy.com/sports/nfl/stefon-diggs-by-the-book-approach-changed-with-josh-allen

 

"I like to buy into a process, and I want to blend in as much as I can and let my play stand out. This is going to sound crazy, but I'm a by-the-book guy," Diggs said. "Josh will just look at me and say, 'Stef, just get open and catch the ball. I really don't care what you do before that.' And that's hard to hear because I'm so used to timing routes and doing things in a certain type of way. But this is where the creativity comes in. I can mix things up a little bit, and the quarterback trusts me. The only way you can build that trust is by making plays."

Edited May 25, 2021 by CNY315

[H2o]

It's amazing what they did last year WITHOUT having any organized offseason activities and Diggs just coming in off of a trade. Just think about what the upcoming season will be like with them having even more of a rapport with one another.   

[Rockinon]

Wonder how many of those caught passes last year were of Diggs freelancing and bailing Allen out. Would wager that many of them weren't "by the book".

[fergie's ire]

I just heard Josh Norman on Le Batard's podcast.  When asked to name the toughest receivers he has gone up against, he named Diggs first and said it was because he was such an incredible route runner and would study corners and set them up.  (Btw, the next receive he mentioned was Beasley  and said he is the best slot receiver in the game.)

 

[BillsShredder83]

17 minutes ago, H2o said:

It's amazing what they did last year WITHOUT having any organized offseason activities and Diggs just coming in off of a trade. Just think about what the upcoming season will be like with them having even more of a rapport with one another.   

they should get bunkbeds lol

[Doc]

Reminded me of Fitz and Stevie Johnson.

[Protocal69]

33 minutes ago, CNY315 said:

https://www.audacy.com/sports/nfl/stefon-diggs-by-the-book-approach-changed-with-josh-allen

 

"I like to buy into a process, and I want to blend in as much as I can and let my play stand out. This is going to sound crazy, but I'm a by-the-book guy," Diggs said. "Josh will just look at me and say, 'Stef, just get open and catch the ball. I really don't care what you do before that.' And that's hard to hear because I'm so used to timing routes and doing things in a certain type of way. But this is where the creativity comes in. I can mix things up a little bit, and the quarterback trusts me. The only way you can build that trust is by making plays."

When Josh said "just get open and catch the ball and I don't care how you do it"  sounds like something Brady would have told his receivers in private back in the day but in a good way and not being a dick. I can imagine that would be music to a receiver like Stevie Johnson ears.

 

Josh is going to have receivers lining up to play with him in the next couple of years if he keeps his play up

Edited May 25, 2021 by Protocal69

[Solomon Grundy]

49 minutes ago, fergie's ire said:

I just heard Josh Norman on Le Batard's podcast.  When asked to name the toughest receivers he has gone up against, he named Diggs first and said it was because he was such an incredible route runner and would study corners and set them up.  (Btw, the next receive he mentioned was Beasley  and said he is the best slot receiver in the game.)

 

Okay, we can re-sign Josh Norman now😎

[Might Rather]

56 minutes ago, Doc said:

Reminded me of Fitz and Stevie Johnson.

Only much better!

[Royale with Cheese]

I remember Josh in the huddle drawing routes with his finger in the dirt.  
Andre Roberts was out there and said “well what do I do?”.

 

Josh just said “just go long”.

[MJS]

1 hour ago, Protocal69 said:

When Josh said "just get open and catch the ball and I don't care how you do it"  sounds like something Brady would have told his receivers in private back in the day but in a good way and not being a dick. I can imagine that would be music to a receiver like Stevie Johnson ears.

 

Josh is going to have receivers lining up to play with him in the next couple of years if he keeps his play up

Brady? No, he would say do everything exactly by the book, exactly the same every single time. Do not think for yourself, just run the play. Let me think for you.

 

And there is no such thing as Brady not being a dick.

[loedward22]

2 hours ago, Rockinon said:

Wonder how many of those caught passes last year were of Diggs freelancing and bailing Allen out. Would wager that many of them weren't "by the book".

 

this was definitely by the book

 

 

[HardyBoy]

33 minutes ago, MJS said:

Brady? No, he would say do everything exactly by the book, exactly the same every single time. Do not think for yourself, just run the play. Let me think for you.

 

And there is no such thing as Brady not being a dick.

 

Yup, even the time Superman went into Bizaro World...brady was still a dick

[Jerome007]

I still think by looking at many of Josh's best plays in 2020 that most routes were definitely by design, certainly including Diggs'. But it does happen many times in games all goes out the window and you wing it. But even that has some set patterns, otherwise all receivers could end clustered. You can't throw a pass before the WR has created separation or is not set yet without knowing what he'll do! That would be INTs most of the time.

[Putin]

2 hours ago, H2o said:

It's amazing what they did last year WITHOUT having any organized offseason activities and Diggs just coming in off of a trade. Just think about what the upcoming season will be like with them having even more of a rapport with one another.   

I hope in 25-30 years from now when someone asks who is the best QB & WR combo of all time ( yards / Td’s / and so on) Allen & Diggs would be the answer ahead of Montana & Rice and so on !!! 
Can’t wait for the Pittsburgh game  !!! 
GO BILLS BABY !!!

[Hapless Bills Fan]

22 minutes ago, Jerome007 said:

I still think by looking at many of Josh's best plays in 2020 that most routes were definitely by design, certainly including Diggs'. But it does happen many times in games all goes out the window and you wing it. But even that has some set patterns, otherwise all receivers could end clustered. You can't throw a pass before the WR has created separation or is not set yet without knowing what he'll do! That would be INTs most of the time.

 

I can't remember which game it was, but in one of them both Josh and Diggs said the play called for Diggs to run a post, but the way the safety was playing it he just ran a go and Josh "saw his numbers going away from me" and threw a TD.

 

On the other hand, Beasley has stressed that he and Josh have to see the defense and the options he's going to run exactly the same way to avoid picks. 

 

I do think some of the picks Fitz threw his last year in B'lo were him and Stevie not being on the same page.

[K-9]

2 hours ago, Doc said:

Reminded me of Fitz and Stevie Johnson.

Problem with Fitz is that he often didn’t have the arm strength to compensate for Stevie’s improvisational route running. That messed up timing was often visible on long outs where Fitz would literally triple hitch some of those throws to get it there in time. Josh has no such limitations. 

[Putin]

1 hour ago, loedward22 said:

 

this was definitely by the book

 

 

Was that the play when he hurt his shoulder ??

Edited May 25, 2021 by Putin

[Patrick Duffy]

1 hour ago, loedward22 said:

 

this was definitely by the book

 

 

Forgot about that play. Was amazing. Wasn't that the play where the shoulder wasn't right for a while?

[loedward22]

4 minutes ago, Patrick_Duffy said:

Forgot about that play. Was amazing. Wasn't that the play where the shoulder wasn't right for a while?

 

yes, I believe it was.  I pulled the video from this page, but I think they paint the picture he avoided the injury, yet we know that wasn't the case...

[TroutDog]

While I will never wish away a summer, the quote in the OP certainly makes me stoked for the fall! 😃 

 

I was hesitant when the Bills gave a first for Diggs and I was, gladly, wrong! These two have chemistry and are of the same mold. 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

20 minutes ago, Putin said:

Was that the play when he hurt his shoulder ??

 

Yes, it was, you can see him roll and grab his shoulder right away.

[Protocal69]

2 hours ago, MJS said:

Brady? No, he would say do everything exactly by the book, exactly the same every single time. Do not think for yourself, just run the play. Let me think for you.

 

And there is no such thing as Brady not being a dick.

I was referring to Josh saying it in a way not to be a dick. Do you really Brady cared about how Edelman and Welker was running their option besides getting open.

[MJS]

5 minutes ago, Protocal69 said:

I was referring to Josh saying it in a way not to be a dick. Do you really Brady cared about how Edelman and Welker was running their option besides getting open.

Absolutely. They ran a system. They found guys who would fit in the system and do it the same. When players left, they found guys to fit the exact same role in the exact same way. No room for freestyling there.

[Heitz]

3 hours ago, Might Rather said:

Only much better!

Well, not in the beard or rapping department.  But at *football*, sure...

 

 

[Protocal69]

16 hours ago, MJS said:

Absolutely. They ran a system. They found guys who would fit in the system and do it the same. When players left, they found guys to fit the exact same role in the exact same way. No room for freestyling there.

You do realize we run the same system right. Only difference is incorporate RPO's into the offense

[MJS]

44 minutes ago, Protocal69 said:

You do realize we run the same system right. Only difference is incorporate RPO's into the offense

I'm not talking just about the offensive scheme. I'm talking about the entire New England system, including their approach to bringing in talent.

[Billsfanatixs]

21 hours ago, BillsShredder83 said:

they should get bunkbeds lol

Think of all the room they would have for activities

[Inigo Montoya]

One of the narratives in the national media about Allen and Diggs that irks me a bit is that Diggs is always bailing Allen out and that without Diggs Allen would half as good as he is today.

 

Two points, Diggs is amazing and is hard to cover and he makes Allen's life way easier because he is open so often.  That is a given, and in that respect, Diggs does help Allen out a lot.  No argument from me.  Thank God we have Diggs, he is incredible.

 

The second point, and the one that bothers me, is that the media pundits make it sound like Allen is throwing Diggs bad balls and Diggs is making circus catches all over the place saving Josh's hide.  I just don't think that is the case at all.

 

Diggs gets open, and Josh puts the ball on the money.  There is no YouTube video on all of Diggs' circus catches from last year, because he didn't make many last year.  The overwhelming majority of balls that came his way were right on the money, on time, and where he could catch it and run.  Those were great  throws that Josh Allen made.  The insinuation by pundits that Diggs is bailing Allen out of bad throws all the time is simply false.

[The Dean]

32 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

One of the narratives in the national media about Allen and Diggs that irks me a bit is that Diggs is always bailing Allen out and that without Diggs Allen would half as good as he is 

 

That's a national narrative you're seeing? Where?  I can honestly say that I've never seen or heard anything like that.

[sherpa]

57 minutes ago, Inigo Montoya said:

One of the narratives in the national media about Allen and Diggs that irks me a bit is that Diggs is always bailing Allen out and that without Diggs Allen would half as good as he is today.

 

Two points, Diggs is amazing and is hard to cover and he makes Allen's life way easier because he is open so often.  That is a given, and in that respect, Diggs does help Allen out a lot.  No argument from me.  Thank God we have Diggs, he is incredible.

 

The second point, and the one that bothers me, is that the media pundits make it sound like Allen is throwing Diggs bad balls and Diggs is making circus catches all over the place saving Josh's hide.  I just don't think that is the case at all.

 

 

 

I have a slightly different opinion.

The Bills offense benefits immensely from two components, and it explains a lot of long third down conversions which we've we've all seen and enjoyed, especially since the Thanksgiving Dallas game.

 

First component is Allen getting out of the pocket and buying time towards the sideline.

Second is the receivers recognizing the scramble drill and getting open when the initial timing of the play is disrupted.

I think the Bills are extremely good at the scramble drill passing offense, and especially Diggs and Beasley.

Josh gets them the ball because he has the ability to throw from many arm angles, even if his balls aren't super accurate.

 

So far, works for us. 

[colin]

2 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

One of the narratives in the national media about Allen and Diggs that irks me a bit is that Diggs is always bailing Allen out and that without Diggs Allen would half as good as he is today.

 

Two points, Diggs is amazing and is hard to cover and he makes Allen's life way easier because he is open so often.  That is a given, and in that respect, Diggs does help Allen out a lot.  No argument from me.  Thank God we have Diggs, he is incredible.

 

The second point, and the one that bothers me, is that the media pundits make it sound like Allen is throwing Diggs bad balls and Diggs is making circus catches all over the place saving Josh's hide.  I just don't think that is the case at all.

 

Diggs gets open, and Josh puts the ball on the money.  There is no YouTube video on all of Diggs' circus catches from last year, because he didn't make many last year.  The overwhelming majority of balls that came his way were right on the money, on time, and where he could catch it and run.  Those were great  throws that Josh Allen made.  The insinuation by pundits that Diggs is bailing Allen out of bad throws all the time is simply false.

 

 

i agree with the thrust of you post, but would like to add that diggs rarely has circus catches because he does all the little things up to and as the ball is in the air so well he makes the play easier for himself, and harder for defenders.

 

it's a pleasure to watch.  I suppose the downside of that is because he is not huge or super fast he can be "taken out" with outstanding double coverage (contrast that with terrell owens, who ran every route at full speed and often looked like he might fall over out of his breaks.  it lead to him dropping some balls because of how hard he was working, but it made him more or less uncoverable).  The upside is that he's super reliable, and if he's dinged up or as he gets older, smooth precise play is the last thing to fade for a WR (besides height obviously), so he can be a top producer for a while.

[fasteddie]

On 5/25/2021 at 6:52 PM, Putin said:

Was that the play when he hurt his shoulder ??

Yep.

[BuffaloBill]

Hard to believe they can play better together..... but they have fire and drive ... so they will.

[Protocal69]

11 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

One of the narratives in the national media about Allen and Diggs that irks me a bit is that Diggs is always bailing Allen out and that without Diggs Allen would half as good as he is today.

 

Two points, Diggs is amazing and is hard to cover and he makes Allen's life way easier because he is open so often.  That is a given, and in that respect, Diggs does help Allen out a lot.  No argument from me.  Thank God we have Diggs, he is incredible.

 

The second point, and the one that bothers me, is that the media pundits make it sound like Allen is throwing Diggs bad balls and Diggs is making circus catches all over the place saving Josh's hide.  I just don't think that is the case at all.

 

Diggs gets open, and Josh puts the ball on the money.  There is no YouTube video on all of Diggs' circus catches from last year, because he didn't make many last year.  The overwhelming majority of balls that came his way were right on the money, on time, and where he could catch it and run.  Those were great  throws that Josh Allen made.  The insinuation by pundits that Diggs is bailing Allen out of bad throws all the time is simply false.

Yeah thats more a fan take than a media take. It gets on my nerves especially coming from Ravens fans. They say its all Diggs but they are begging their front office to give them the same thing and if Lamar passing yards increase he will get ALL the credit smh

[BillsFan692]

12 hours ago, The Dean said:

 

That's a national narrative you're seeing? Where?  I can honestly say that I've never seen or heard anything like that.

Its not a narrative.

[eball]

17 hours ago, The Dean said:

 

That's a national narrative you're seeing? Where?  I can honestly say that I've never seen or heard anything like that.

 

Agreed.  I think it’s a paranoid Bills fan take.  We like to feel slighted at any opportunity.  Trust me, fans of other teams are envious as hell of Josh Allen.  They went from “he’s a bust” to “damn, he’s good” in a heartbeat.  Any fans claiming Josh is being “bailed out” by Diggs are doing so out of denial.

[warrior9]

On 5/25/2021 at 3:25 PM, Rockinon said:

Wonder how many of those caught passes last year were of Diggs freelancing and bailing Allen out. Would wager that many of them weren't "by the book".

If you watch a lot of Diggs routes, they were definitely timed in routes, comebacks, hitches, etc.  He's just soooo good at the top of his routes.

 

I think when Josh says "get open, i'll find you" it's more of when a play breaks down, be creative, get open. He also did that NUMEROUS times, obviously. 

[MJS]

https://www.nfl.com/news/stefon-diggs-aiming-for-five-super-bowl-rings-in-his-climb-to-the-mountain-top

 

"I haven't reached the mountain top yet. I always aim high. I want five Super Bowl rings," Diggs told DC Magazine in a recent interview. "I want the Hall of Fame. I want the glory. I believe I'm a champion. But, more so, I want to carry some people along with me. I want my brother, Trevon, to have a good career. I want to give my mom a place where she can be comfortable. I want to give people jobs. I want to do more for D.C., my city. The mountain top isn't just for football; it's for life in general. The more people I can help -- that's when I'll look back and know I made a difference."

 

 

Let's hope his wish comes true!

[Royale with Cheese]

Stefon, you have 10 fingers....