New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots picked up a huge 23-20 victory over the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, and without the play of star wide receiver Stefon Diggs, there’s no doubt the Pats would not have managed to come out on top in this one.
Playing against his former team, Diggs caught 10 passes for 146 yards, showing that he hasn’t lost a step, even though his 2024 campaign came to an end because of a torn ACL. Diggs was on the same page with Drake Maye all night long, and it resulted in one of the most dominant performances of his career.
One of the best plays of Diggs’ night came late in the third quarter. With New England facing 3rd & 7 on its own 13-yard line, Maye was flushed to his right and fired a quick pass to Diggs along the sideline. Diggs somehow managed to keep his feet in bounds and hold onto the football, and on Thursday, he quickly broke down this crucial catch.
“I’ve been in the league a little while,” Diggs said in a video posted on the Patriots’ official X account. “I know your initial step is, when they break the pocket, they say go long, so I faked like I was going to go long, and then just tried to throw him by to get a little reception. I’ve been doing it a couple times, a little bit in my career.”
The play only resulted in a 10-yard gain, but it kept the drive alive for the Pats, and they ended up going on to score a touchdown that gave them a 20-10 lead. Without Diggs’ phenomenal catch, New England would have had to punt the ball away, allowing Buffalo a chance to tie or take the lead.
The Bills did eventually tie the game at 20 points apiece, but more big plays from Diggs and Maye helped them grind out a game-winning field goal drive. With the win, New England pushed its record to 3-2 on the season, and they have suddenly emerged as a playoff contender in the AFC.
There is still a lot of football left to play this season, though, and the Pats need to make sure that they do not let one win define them. New England will look to win its third straight game when it takes on the New Orleans Saints in Week 6.
