As the Buffalo Bills prepare for their Wild Card matchup with the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, left tackle Dion Dawkins took the time to pen an article in The Players Tribune that highlighted a few different topics from this season.
In the article, Dawkins touched on the evolution of Josh Allen, a special moment he shared with Bills veterans during his rookie season in Buffalo, and he also talked about what it meant to him and his teammates to be welcomed home at the airport by thousands of Bills fans after they captured their first AFC East title in 25 years with a 48-19 victory over the Denver Broncos.
The big guy they call the “Shnowman” encapsulated Buffalo’s special season perfectly and he put it in ways only Dawkins can. During his letter though, Dawkins also described what wide receiver Stefon Diggs has brought to Buffalo and how he’s contributed to the culture change at One Bills Drive in Orchard Park.
When people ask me if Diggs has come in and impressed us this season, I’m like: nah. Because I don’t really think “impressed” is the right word.
I think it’s more like “shocked.”
Not because we had low expectations or anything. But it was more like….. alright, y’all are going to laugh at this, but I’m still going to say it: I think there were players on this team who — before they saw Stefon?? Legit had no idea people could be this good at football.
Dead serious, man.
In other words, Stefon has redefined what good football means for our squad.
With his play this season, Diggs has raised the level of expectations in Buffalo and it’s no wonder why the Bills have seemed like a completely different team this season. Their expectations are higher, they are holding each other accountable, and Dawkins feels like a lot of that has come from Diggs being on the field and in the locker room.
Dawkins described it during his article as the following.
I was trying to think of how I can summarize Stefon for this article — and I think the best I could come up with is: Dude is obsessed with making the people around him better.
You know what I mean? Like, whether it’s staying after practice with Gabe and working him through a ball cart of reps. Or it’s speaking up in a meeting and making sure him and Cole have their timing on a crossing pattern down to the split second. Or it’s just doing whatever is needed to lead his group like a true unit. (I call them the Skinny Boy Unit.) Or it’s making the type of play where the entire sideline is left speechless, and is just like, Oh, word? We’re setting the bar at “Hall of Famer” today? Whether it’s any of those things, man. Stefon has been there for it.
Now as the Bills enter their postseason run, they are playing at a completely new level and they are looking to bring Buffalo its first Super Bowl championship.
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Diggs Has Lived Up To His “Superstar” Billing
Throughout this season, Diggs has lived up to the expectations that were set for him when he came to Buffalo. He finished the regular season as the league leader in both receptions (127) and yards (1,535). He’s also been one of the main reasons that quarterback Josh Allen has risen as an NFL MVP Candidate.
Diggs has given the third-year quarterback a No. 1 receiver and he’s shown that on multiple occasions this year. He recorded seven games with over 100 yards receiving this season and had a three-game streak of such games heading into Buffalo’s regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins. He was pulled in the second half after recording seven catches for 76 yards.
The former Maryland receiver also rewrote Buffalo’s single-season record book this season, setting new franchise records for receptions and yards in a season. He’s also the first player in NFL history to lead the league in receiving yards during his first year season with a team.
Diggs Was Named Pro Football Focus’ All-Pro Team
After another big season for Diggs, the former Vikings receiver was named to Pro Football Focus’ 2020 NFL All-Pro Team
WR STEFON DIGGS, BUFFALO BILLS
Second Team: A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans
Diggs was always going to be a major upgrade for Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, but this season has still been phenomenal. Diggs finished with the league lead in targets (162), receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535), with eight scores added on top of that. Diggs is a complete receiver who has only become better with a bigger role within an offense prepared to air the ball out and not lean so heavily on the run game.
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Bills Captain Raves About Stefon Diggs in Players Tribune Article