As the leading receiver for the New England Patriots, four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs has had a closer view than most of second-year quarterback Drake Maye’s emergence as the likely next NFL MVP, but the veteran wideout made a shocking confession about the man throwing passes his way after the Pats hammered the New York Jets 42-10 in Week 17.
Maye threw five touchdown passes, and Diggs was frank when asked by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo after the game if he expected Maye to be this good. Diggs admitted, “No I did not. He surprised all of us. I knew he was going to be good but nah, I didn’t know he was going to be this good. I’m just super proud of him. He approached the game the right way.”
Maye’s approach yielded an astonishing 157.0 QB rating against the Jets. He missed on just two of 21 pass attempts, with Diggs also feasting on the Jets by reeling in six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown worthy of a lucrative bonus.
It’s no wonder Diggs cast his vote for Maye as MVP when speaking with Garafolo, but it’s this prolific quarterback-receiver partnership that should strike fear into New England’s playoff opponents.
Stefon Diggs Has Surpassed Expectations for Patriots
Diggs has been exactly what the Patriots wanted. Namely, a true alpha receiver for Maye to aim for, status No. 8 has achieved by playing his best football in a Patriots uniform during the business end of the season, changing his game and “averaging 8/120 in his last two games,” according to StatMuse.
Those trends have helped Diggs amass 82 receptions for 970 yards and four touchdowns with one game remaining in the regular season. The last of those scores came courtesy of this three-yard grab on fourth-and-goal at MetLife Stadium.
This is a classic goal-line concept in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ playbook, but Diggs has been more valuable in a different way for these Patriots. Namely, as a legitimate vertical threat who has made four catches of 30-plus yards this season.
One of those deep catches was this contested beauty along the sideline.
The play not only proved the 32-year-old, who’s been a leader in difficult moments, hasn’t lost his field-stretching speed and elite agility. Even though he’s barely a full season removed from tearing his ACL with the Houston Texans.
This special throw and catch also showed Maye’s level of confidence in his primary target.
Drake Maye Made MVP Statement vs. Jets
It’s going to be difficult for anybody to usurp Maye for the MVP award while he and Diggs are playing at this level. No signal-caller has been more accurate, while the 23-year-old strengthened his case further by hitting the 30-touchdown passes mark against the Jets.
The acceleration in Maye’s development from his rookie campaign has been remarkable. In the process, he’s made the Patriots relevant again in the AFC East. Division supremacy still awaits this season, but Maye and Diggs can have the Patriots setting their sights even higher.
It’ll be a tough path to the Super Bowl out of the AFC, especially after the Pats have feasted on a relatively soft schedule, but Maye and Diggs are two premier playmakers capable of deciding any game in New England’s favor.
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