ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Week 5 sport between the Houston Texans and Buffalo Payments shall be notable for a wide range of causes, and whereas eyes shall be on the matchup between two of the AFC’s greatest, they will even be on extensive receiver Stefon Diggs as he performs in opposition to his former workforce.
Diggs, who was traded to the Texans on April 3, stated he is not making this sport larger than some other.
“Block out the noise. A number of different persons are going to really feel away or have rather a lot to say about X,Y, Z, and I do not thoughts. I am not mad at it,” Diggs stated Wednesday. “Simply attempting to go 1-0. Clearly, they are a good workforce. They’ve quite a lot of guys that may fly round on the protection. However they are a actually good workforce. So, I sit up for it.”
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Diggs was with the Payments for 4 seasons after they acquired him in a commerce with the Minnesota Vikings. Throughout that point, he was named a primary workforce All-Professional (2020) and was a three-time captain. With Josh Allen, he had essentially the most receptions (445) and receiving yards (5,372) and was tied for essentially the most receiving touchdowns (37) of any quarterback-receiver duo throughout that stretch. He ranks fourth in Payments historical past in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Allen stated he views the reunion with Diggs equally, noting such conferences aren’t out of the strange within the NFL.
“It is not essentially the most uncommon factor,” Allen stated. “I feel this factor occurs once in a while, and you recognize, I’ve received quite a lot of love for him. I nonetheless do. The issues that he did for me in my profession, and the issues that he did in a Buffalo Invoice uniform will not be forgotten anytime quickly, particularly from me. So, that is how I take a look at it.
“On the identical time, going into Yr 7, I perceive the enterprise, and the facet of what this league is, and once more, I am simply attempting to give attention to what we received happening on this constructing.”
Allen stated they have not had a lot interplay because the commerce, however famous “that is common for some other [former] teammates.” The quarterback stated he’ll look to say howdy to the receiver Sunday.
“Hopefully, yeah, I will say what’s up, and hopefully the favor’s returned,” Allen stated. “I am positive it will likely be, so we’ll see.”
Each the Payments and Texans are 3-1 heading into the matchup in Houston. Allen is off to a scorching begin, main the league in complete QBR (82). And for the primary time in his profession, he hasn’t thrown an interception via the primary 4 video games.
“It is easy to get a foul rap. Phrase travels quick, however while you get to a spot and other people get to know you, they form of get to gauge you for their very own private and their interplay with you. And issues often flip the nook once I get some other place. There’s often smiles and quite a lot of constructive stuff. I simply take it with a grain of salt. I received large shoulders.”
Stefon Diggs
Diggs, 30, has 25 receptions for 233 yards (second on the workforce behind Nico Collins) and two touchdowns (tied with Collins) with the Texans. Of his receiving yards, 41.6% have come after the catch, which is on tempo to be the second-highest charge in his profession (2018).
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud stated the surface notion of Diggs as a diva was a “unhealthy rap by the media” and that “he is been nothing however superb to this workforce and to his teammates.”
“He is helped me out a ton as you possibly can see, we’re clicking increasingly more,” Stroud stated. “He is lastly having enjoyable taking part in the sport.”
In response to a query about Stroud’s feedback, Diggs shared his perspective on what’s been working in Houston.
“It is easy to get a foul rap. Phrase travels quick, however while you get to a spot and other people get to know you, they form of get to gauge you for their very own private and their interplay with you,” Diggs stated. “And issues often flip the nook once I get some other place. There’s often smiles and quite a lot of constructive stuff. I simply take it with a grain of salt. I received large shoulders.”
So far as defending a participant they’re overly accustomed to, the Payments stated they’re properly conscious of the problem Diggs and the Texans will current.
“Very proficient soccer workforce, very proficient on this case offensively, extraordinarily proficient on the perimeter of their offense with the receiving corps you talked about, and it is actually arduous to cease all of them, proper, as a result of you do not have sufficient guys to double workforce all of them there,” Payments coach Sean McDermott stated. “So, we can have our work minimize out for us. Stef’s taking part in at a excessive degree, he was a extremely good participant right here and aggressive, as you guys know, and he is extremely aggressive on tape, as I watch, and taking part in at a excessive degree.”
ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime contributed to this report.
