Lately, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs hasn’t been making as much of an impact as he usually does. The Bills are still in playoff contention and have a good chance of extending their season, but with a chance of missing it completelythey’ll want Diggs at his best for the season finale.
This week, the AFC East title is on the line. If they win, the Bills get the division crown and the No. 2 seed. If they lose, their season could be over, based on the results of a few previous games.
With the season potentially on the line, and their ranking certainly on the line, getting production from their star players has never been more crucial.
Over the last four games and in six of the last seven games, Diggs has fewer than 50 yards and has completed 65 percent or fewer plays over the last three matchups.
Diggs’ stats tell the story of two seasons, with a significant change from Weeks 1-9 to Weeks 10-17. Here’s how it breaks down:
Catch percentage |
Takes per match |
Yards per catch |
Receiving yards per game |
Total touchdowns | |
Weeks 1 to 9 |
72.2 |
7.8 |
11.9 |
92.7 |
7 |
Weeks 10-17 |
54.5 |
4.3 |
8.7 |
37.4 |
1 |
When asked why Diggs hasn’t seen the field as much, head coach Sean McDermott confirmed it wasn’t due to injury. McDermott said the lack of targets was because quarterback Josh Allen wasn’t making risky throws to the wide receiver.
“Medically, there’s nothing serious that I know of that has made him ill and from the communication I’m getting from Nate (Breske), our coach on that,” McDermott said (via the website team official). “And it’s just Josh going over his reads and his progressions and making sure we’re following the progressions correctly.”
McDermott stressed the importance of having a player like Diggs.
“He is an important factor for us. We will need him until the end,” he said.
Joe Brady, who became the offensive coordinator in November, says limiting Diggs’ snaps is something they do consciously.
“Look, I think there are times where we definitely take him out of games,” Brady said. “I think that’s something we talked about earlier in the season about getting to where we want to get to — just not playing (as many snaps).”
When they review the playbook and game plan, Brady says, “There are games where we go into the weekend and we intentionally exclude him from the game.”
If the Bills beat the Dolphins 11-5, Buffalo will win its fourth straight AFC East title.