Yeah, I confess it was directed at you ... or more accurately, your comment. Nothing personal. Always appreciate your takes.Texas Vike wrote: ↑Wed Nov 18, 2020 8:36 amWhile I agree with all of the essential points of your post, I feel compelled to answer your question, since it seems to refer to my post, where I mentioned "taking the top off" as the lone advantage that Diggs has on JJ.J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:00 pm Regarding the Diggs-for-Jefferson trade, I'll go ahead and say the thing nobody else wants to say ... WE WIN.
So Diggs could take the top off a defense, huh? Then why did it take him four seasons to hit 1,000 yards? Why is his career average just 12.4 yards per catch? Why has he never been named to even one Pro Bowl? (Not exactly a high bar.) Yes, last year he averaged 17.9 yards per catch. So what? Jefferson is averaging 18.1. Jefferson is better after the catch, and from what I can see, he's already the route runner Diggs is. He's taller, he's stronger, he's got better hands, and he's tougher.
Has JJ beaten a defensive back long? I honestly don't remember him doing that a single time, but my memory isn't the best, so I may be wrong here. He seems to work underneath amazingly well, and then gain a ton of yards after the catch, as you point out. What's impressive is that JJ doesn't look that stout, but he can carry defenders pretty damn well anyways. He's a feisty runner with the ball in his hands.
Did you see Diggs' apparent game-winner vs. AZ on Sunday? That was vintage Diggs, winning over the top on a diving catch against one of the league's premiere CBs. Diggs makes these catches look routine, and very few WRs can do that.
Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rajkf-D2P4
But here's the rub, and you mention it and I totally agree: How does Diggs act after his catch? By screaming, "That's why you pay me!"
Wow. I have to say, that reveals a fair bit about Diggs' character and his demons. I always loved his competitiveness, but some of it seems to come from a weird place; a chip on his shoulder; an insecurity... something I can't quite put my finger on, but I'll tell you what, that's a weird thing to be focused on in a moment when YOUR TEAM looks like they just won a game. I'll take the griddy instead.
My response was more about Diggs than it was about Jefferson. It's this idea that Stefon Diggs is one of the league's great deep threats, and I just don't see it. Never have. Cousins and Diggs connected on several deep shots last year, but before that, it didn't happen often with the Vikings. It really didn't. He caught a lot of underneath stuff, occasionally made people miss, but rarely over the top. Announcers always said that, but until last year, it was more threat or myth than reality. Of course, Diggs would simply blame his quarterbacks. Yet in Buffalo, where he plays with arguably the strongest-armed passer in the league, his per catch average is a half-yard less than Adam Thielen's.
Plus, I'll go back to what I mentioned earlier. Stefon Diggs has never even been named to a Pro Bowl. Now, we all scoff at Pro Bowl selections, but remember: Two-thirds of the balloting weight goes to players and coaches. That tells you what they think of Stefon Diggs. Which leads me to try and answer your question about what's wrong with Diggs. He thinks he's disrespected. He's got a bad case of ABS, also known as Antonio Brown Syndrome. "You disrespected me by drafting me low, so now I'm gonna run my mouth until you show me some respect, and then I'm gonna run my mouth some more because you're not showing me enough."
You make a great point about Diggs' response to the TD against Arizona. "That's why you pay me!" is exactly what I would expect him to yell because Stefon Diggs is all about Stefon Diggs. I never saw it coming with him. Early in his career, he always seemed really down to earth. But something changed with Diggs after the Minneapolis Miracle. It was like he turned himself into a god.
Maybe Justin Jefferson goes prima donna down the road. Somehow I doubt it.
I'll say it again. Stefon Diggs has more catches than Justin Jefferson (twice as many targets, but I digress). He has more yards. He has one more TD. Yet I'll take Justin Jefferson every day of the week and twice on Sunday. JJ makes the most of his opportunities, and he plays a high-profile position while remaining somewhat humble. I think the kid has perennial All-Pro written all over him if he can stay healthy.