New England Patriots
Diggs scored on a one-yard pass during the blowout victory.
Stefon Diggs finally scored his first touchdown in a Patriots uniform eight weeks into the season on a one-yard pass from Drake Maye.
He spiked the football, raised his hands in the air, and posed with his teammates in front of the TV cameras as he celebrated.
“That was lit, man. I came off that sideline storming and we did our celebration,” receiver DeMario Douglas said. “We’ve been waiting on that since camp, to hit that celebration. So that was fun.”
Diggs had back-to-back 100-plus yard performances against Carolina and Buffalo during the first two games of the Patriots’ five-game win streak. It took him longer to cross into the end zone, but he made it on Sunday.
Linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson and kick returner Antonio Gibson had more touchdowns than Diggs heading into Sunday’s game.
“It was good to see him get in there,” quarterback Drake Maye said. “Stef, we’ve been joking about him the other day that K.C., K’Lavon Chaisson had more touchdowns than Stef did. So finally Stef got in there and got one. So that was cool.”
Diggs took a deep breath and pumped his first on the sideline after the catch. The veteran receiver has scored at least eight touchdowns in six of his 11 seasons in the NFL.
The 31-year-old pass-catcher has caught 42 of his 49 targets this season. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said Diggs’ presence been an asset for the team.
“Really enjoyed being around him every day, his energy, communication, his willingness to learn and play and figure out what it is that we need from him each and every week,” Vrabel said. “There’s been an energy. He’s practiced when we needed him to practice, and we’re going to have to start taking care of some these veteran guys, whether that’s him or Morgan or Hunter and a lot of these other guys as we move on toward the season, but highly competitive.”
He showed up ready to play Week 1 after undergoing offseason ACL surgery and has taken on a leadership role in the wide receiver room. His first touchdown took longer than expected, but it came during a blowout win.
“He’s vocal. He cares. He’s a great teammate,” Vrabel said. “He’s been really good for that position and some of the younger guys’ development. So, I’m happy to be able to get him in the end zone. It was long overdue.”
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