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Why Stefon Diggs holds the key to a Patriots playoff run
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) makes a catch against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium. Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Why Stefon Diggs holds the key to a Patriots playoff run

The New England Patriots have won back-to-back games to improve to 3-2 on the season, and it is hardly a coincidence that Stefon Diggs turned in an outstanding performance in each game. The big question now is whether he can sustain it, and the answer might determine whether the Patriots are a legitimate playoff contender.

Diggs looked like the four-time Pro Bowl version of himself during New England's 23-20 upset win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. He had a game-high 10 catches for 146 yards and made multiple clutch plays to help out quarterback Drake Maye.

Of course, Diggs had revenge on his mind in Buffalo. The former Bills star admitted after the game that going up against his former team felt "personal" for him. That does not mean the performance was a fluke, however.

Stefon Diggs might be rounding back into form

Diggs played in just eight games in his lone season with the Houston Texans in 2024. He suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 and worked his way back to be ready for this season. Though he was fully cleared in Week 1, the 31-year-old may not have regained his pre-injury form at that point.

The 146-yard game against Buffalo was Diggs' second consecutive game with 100-plus receiving yards. He had six catches for 101 yards in the Patriots' 42-13 win over the Carolina Panthers the week before. That may have been a sign that Diggs is starting to feel like himself again. More importantly, he appears to have plenty left in the tank.

Diggs did not have a game with 100 or more receiving yards in his brief tenure with the Texans. Before his breakout in Week 4, his last 100-yard receiving game was on Oct. 15, 2023. Diggs had 10 catches for 100 yards in that game while helping lead the Bills to a win over the New York Giants.

Can the Patriots keep Diggs happy?

Like most star wide receivers, Diggs wants the ball in his hands as much as possible. He seemed unhappy with his role in Buffalo before he was traded to the Texans, and that was when Diggs played in an offense that Josh Allen led. Patriots fans are right to be concerned about how Diggs might react if the team's offense starts to slump.

For now, Diggs and Maye appear to have established legitimate chemistry. The Patriots did not have a true No. 1 wide receiver during Maye's rookie season last year. That is why they signed Diggs to a three-year, $69M contract in free agency. For the first three games of the season, Diggs did not look capable of beating defenders the way he could in his prime. He has come alive over the past two weeks.

Diggs undoubtedly had some extra juice while facing the Bills, but he and Maye were on the same page during crucial moments in the game. Maye ranks second in the NFL with a 73.9 competition percentage and fifth with 1,261 passing yards. The quarterback looks like he has made a huge second-year leap, and the emergence of Diggs has been a factor in that.

If Diggs can remain healthy and focused, the Patriots will be a legitimate playoff contender in the AFC.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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