Getty Chiefs safety Justin Reid (L) reacts to post about Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (R).
The Buffalo Bills kept their postseason hopes alive by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 20-17 last week.
While Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 233 yards and a touchdown along with a rushing score, his No. 1 wide receiver, Stefon Diggs, had another quiet game. Diggs hasn’t hit over 100 yards per game since Week 6.
“It’s rough, man. Even earlier in the year I saw a lot of the doubles, but they’ve been doing a great job, especially when you put those first seven to eight games on tape of what you like to do and what you do,” Diggs told reporters, per The Athletic. “They’ve been doing a good job. I mean, for me, personally, I’ve been trying, bro. I promise you I’ve been trying.”
Pro Football Talk shared a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Diggs’ blaming double coverage on his lack of production, which caught Chiefs safety Justin Reid‘s attention. ”
“Crazy part is,” Reid replied. “We didn’t double him.”
X/TwitterChiefs safety Justin Reid reacts to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Against the Chiefs, Diggs had two drops, catching just 4-of-11 targets for 24 yards. He was largely covered by Chiefs defensive back L’Jarius Sneed, who’s on fire this season. In 469 coverage snaps, Sneed’s allowed zero touchdowns, per Pro Football Focus.
According to Next Gen Stats, “Sneed aligned across from Diggs on 23 of his 35 routes (65.7%), limiting him to 1 reception for 3 yards on 5 targets (4 tight windows).”
While Reid, who signed a three-year, $31.5 million contract with the Chiefs last year, has a point, numerous fans reminded him that Kansas City lost the game. As Diggs noted, “In a perfect world, I want the ball… At the end of the day, we’re winning games. That’s what I’ve got to tip my hat to.”
Stefon Diggs Is Focused on Bouncing Back Against the Dallas Cowboys
GettyBills wide receiver Stefon Diggs at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 08, 2023.
While Kansas City has a lot of frustration to work through after losing to Buffalo, Diggs is focused on the Bills’ upcoming opponent, the Dallas Cowboys. Diggs was looking forward to facing his brother, Trevon Diggs, however, the Cowboys cornerback suffered a season-ending ACL tear in September.
The matchup still has meaning, but “not as much as it did when I knew my brother was going to play,” Diggs admitted, per ESPN. “But I still want to get a win. I’m still out here grinding each and every day.
“Before the season we had a lot of conversations, me and my little brother talking a lot of smack, in other words, but it was something that we really looked forward to… Maybe in the future though.”
In the meantime, the 30-year-old receiver is looking to bounce back against Dallas. “Being out there, I’ve got to do a lot of things to get open, and then a lot of things got to go right for me to get the ball. For me, when it doesn’t happen, of course, I’m going to be frustrated.
“Y’all know how much of a competitor I am. I like to play at a high level, and I always want it to happen, and even when it doesn’t materialize, I definitely get discouraged at a moment. But then I’ve got to shake back because I always look at it, like, my team still needs me.”
Bills QB Josh Allen Remains 100% Confident in Stefon Diggs
GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen warms up at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023.
Since Week 7, Diggs remains Allen’s most targeted playmaker but ranks second in receptions behind rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid (44). Over the past seven matchups, Diggs has caught 38 of 66 targets for 373 yards for 3 touchdowns with five drops. In that same time frame, wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught 22-of-27 passes, leading the team with 382 receiving yards.”
Despite Diggs’ lack of production lately, Allen is not second-guessing Diggs’ role as his most reliable target.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, “There’s no secret Stef’s our best player,” Allen said. “He’s first in our reads in a lot of our concepts. He does a great job of getting open. There’s been some opportunities we haven’t cashed in on that nine out of 10 times we usually do. I’m not worried about that.
“We’re going to keep working hard and keep giving him his opportunities and targets, and everybody else is going to make some plays too.”
The Bills (7-6) face the Cowboys (10-3) at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 17.