Tag: Stefon Diggs

Bills’ Sean McDermott takes responsibility for Texans loss: ‘That’s on me’

Bills’ Sean McDermott takes responsibility for Texans loss: ‘That’s on me’

The Buffalo Bills lost to the Houston Texans 23-20 during their NFL Week 5 road game on Sunday.

It was the Bills’ second loss of the season, coming in back-to-back weeks against AFC playoff contenders.

And like the week prior, coaching decisions once more came under question following the matchup.

The Bills came back from being down 20-3 and scored 17 straight points to tie the game with under four minutes to play.

Houston QB C.J. Stroud was flagged for intentional grounding making it fourth-and-15 to take the Texans out of field-goal range with under a minute left in the game. They punted, placing the Bills at their own three-yard line.

Three straight incomplete passes later, and the Bills had neither converted a first down nor run off the game clock, instead punting to give Houston the ball back with a chance to win.

One Houston made good on.

Buffalo could have run the clock down to have a chance to keep the game tied and go to overtime, a missed opportunity that proved costly.

“That’s on me, the end-of-game situation on offense,” head coach Sean McDermott said after the game “We’re in a tough situation … they were holding three timeouts, they got a good field goal kicker. We needed to run the clock and move the chains, and that’s on me. We didn’t do that there, and that’s my fault.”

Buffalo had a chance to keep a drive alive and potentially take a lead when they started a drive on their own three-yard line with under a minute left on the game clock.

But failed to do so.

“Coach is gonna trust us to go out there and do that,” Allen said. “Obviously would love to convert there and hindsight’s 20-20, but yeah.”

Allen threw three straight incomplete passes and the offense wasn’t able to get a first down or run out the clock.

“I love Josh with the ball in his hands — you know I do,” head coach Sean McDermott said postgame. “And again, efficient offense was the right approach there, and … I didn’t have us do that. And so again, we learned from that. Tough situation.”

McDermott and his staff have notably been scrutinized after their game and clock management near the end of the contest.

“… You go back and forth, and, hey, I probably should have run it on the first play and just said, ‘Hey, where are we now?'” He added. “Either way, we’re probably gonna have to move the chains one time, right? To not give them a chance. But again, those are situations and that’s on me.”

“It sucks to lose any game, but especially when you come back all the way through, felt like we had good momentum going into the second half, into the fourth quarter there, but it’s the NFL. It’s a tough League,” LB Terrel Bernard said.

After Houston returned Buffalo’s punt 13 yards to their own 41-yard line, they gained 5 yards on the next play, which set up a 59-yard game-winning field goal.

On that last play before the kick, Bills linebacker Dorian Williams was late to get on the field before the snap, and corner Rasul Douglas noted postgame Williams may not have known the play call.

“We were trying to go nickel defense, and Dorian was on the side,” McDermott explained. “We didn’t have the communication we needed right there, and so because of that, he was late onto the field and getting the call in that situation.”

It was the latest instance of some drop-off in play by the Bills players.

“Overall we’ve been a little bit off our game from what we executed in the first three games,” McDermott added.

Defensive end A.J. Epenesa shared it was important that the team not “ride the roller coaster” of emotions following the two losses.

“Right now, we’re at a low,” he said. “We’ve lost two games, but we’ve got to try to stay as consistent as possible. We’ve had a lot of success on this team. We do a lot of great things. It’s just us shooting ourselves in the foot. It’s us making mistakes, which is allowing these teams to beat us. We’ve got to clean those things up.”

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WATCH: Texans’ Stefon Diggs gives locker room speech after beating Bills

WATCH: Texans’ Stefon Diggs gives locker room speech after beating Bills

The Buffalo Bills were beaten by the Stefon Diggs led Houston Texans in Week 5.

In a 23-20 final, the Bills (3-2) certainly shot themselves in the foot. The Texans (4-1) only had a chance to take a final field goal attempt because of Buffalo’s time management.

Even so, Diggs did his part. He had six catches for 82 yards to lead his team.

And regardless of those stats, it felt like Diggs would have been happy no matter what after seeing the way he reacted to the win.

Diggs broke down the post-game speeches in Houston’s locker room following the contest. He admitted it meant something to him.

“Ya’ll know how much that meant to me,” Diggs said.

We sure did see that.

Diggs’ full locker room breakdown can be found in the clip below:

Josh Allen seemingly went out of his way to bury the hatchet with Stefon Diggs in postgame handshake

What a classy exchange between Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs.

The underlying storyline to the Buffalo Bills’ battle with the Houston Texans in Week 5 was Stefon Diggs’ “revenge” game. Diggs was traded from the Bills to the Texans in the offseason after qualifying for a Pro Bowl in four consecutive seasons with Buffalo. The most notable point of that deal was Diggs’ relationship with star quarterback Josh Allen, who some have assumed wasn’t always all sunshine and rainbows.

And while the Texans would get the last laugh in a win after some truly horrific Bills’ clock management, it didn’t look like Allen and Diggs harbored any notable resentment toward each other after the game.

As everyone on the Bills and Texans talked on the field after the fact, it sure seemed like Allen went out of his way to find Diggs and greet him:

If there were any ill feelings between these two superstars, you wouldn’t be able to tell based on this business-like exchange. Finally, both the Bills and Diggs can move on.

Here’s Josh Allen & Stefon Diggs’ meeting post Bills-Texans

Here’s Josh Allen & Stefon Diggs’ meeting post Bills-Texans

Here is the meeting that many in western New York were looking for. It was very short lived.

After the final whistle in the 23-20 win for the Texans (4-1), Bills (3-2) quarterback Josh Allen appeared to be looking for Stefon Diggs. His former wide receiver had the better day both individually and team-wise.

Allen and Diggs shared a quick hug and went their separate ways.

A few looks at the interaction can be found below:

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Texans in Week 5

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Texans in Week 5

The Buffalo Bills hope to get back in the win column Sunday when they visit the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium.

Both teams enter the Week 5 game with a record of 3-1. The Bills will look to right the ship after losing to the Baltimore Ravens last week, while the Texans hope to prove further that they belong among the best in the AFC.

For the Bills to win on the road it will need to take execution from everyone, but there are a few important factors that can help the Bills walk out of Houston with a win.

Here are three keys to a Bills win in Week 5:

Get the running game going

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Texans are 25th in the NFL in yards per rush allowed, and they are 26th in yards before contact per rush. The Bills went away from the ground game last week, and it didn’t bode well for them. Due to the Texans’ speed on the perimeter of their defense, the best way to attack should be right up the middle. Running behind left guard David Edwards, center Connor McGovern and right guard O’Cyrus Torrence could pave the way for James Cook to get back on track. Cook is currently averaging 4.5 yards per carry and already has three rushing touchdowns this year.

Use the tight ends

(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Tight ends Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid are primed for some increased opportunities Sunday. Khalil Shakir’s targets in the middle of the field are up for grabs. And, the Texans’ nickel-based defense should funnel chances inside for the Bills. Running 12-personnel with two tight ends could expose the Texans’ undersized defenders, much like the Ravens did to the Bills last week. Whether it’s run-blocking or running a route, the tight ends could be heavily involved.

Pressure C.J. Stroud

 (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

It’s no secret the Texans have stellar offensive weapons to spread it around to. Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell and others all pose a threat at all times. The best way to take them out of the game is to make it difficult to throw on time. Pressure from the defensive line or a blitz could prove to be a major key for the Bills. According to ESPN win rate metrics, the Texans’ pass-block win rate ranked 22nd in the NFL. It will be a big opportunity for guys to step up on the defensive line for the Bills with he injury to Ed Oliver and the suspension of Von Miller.

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What the Bills said about facing Texans WR Stefon Diggs

What the Bills said about facing Texans WR Stefon Diggs

The Buffalo Bills are preparing to face the Houston Texans in Week 5 on Sunday.

The Bills will have their hands full with a budding Texans team. They have a young up-and-coming quarterback in CJ Stroud, a rock-solid defense, and a plethora of weapons on offense to be wary of.

One of those weapons is Stefon Diggs, who is preparing to face the Bills for the first time since he was traded from Buffalo to Houston in April. He was traded along with a couple of late picks for a 2025 second-round draft pick.

Diggs spent four seasons in Buffalo from 2020-2023, and they were the best seasons of his career. In his first year with the Bills in 2020, he took the league by storm. That year, he led the league in both receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535). He was named First Team All-Pro that year, and he made the Pro Bowl each year he was in Buffalo.

Members of the Bills sounded appreciative of the time they spent with Diggs when asked about it this week. And, Diggs showed love for his former squad and his time in Buffalo as well:

“We had some good years and some real good runs,” Diggs said this week. “Played at a very high level and built a bond with a good group of guys. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Diggs butted heads at times over the last few years. McDermott was quoted as saying he was “very concerned” when Diggs didn’t show for minicamp during the 2023 offseason. But, this week, McDermott chose to remember the good times and praised Diggs for his level of play:

“We’ll have our work cut out for us,” McDermott said via press conference. “Stef is playing at a high level. He was a really good player here as you guys know and he’s competitive. We respect Stef. We love Stef.”

The love-fest continued when quarterback Josh Allen spoke to the media. The Buffalo signal caller says he appreciates what Diggs did for him early in his career.

“I got a lot of love for him and I still do,” Allen said. “The things he did for me and my career and the things he did in a Buffalo Bill uniform won’t be forgotten anytime soon, especially from me.”

Through four games with the Texans, Diggs has amassed 25 catches for 233 yards and three total touchdowns. He’s shown he has more left in the tank and he fits in perfectly to form a dangerous attack in Houston’s offense.

So, the Bills aren’t very concerned with the idea of facing an old friend. What they are concerned with is preventing him and the Texans offense from getting rolling.

Bills nickel cornerback Taron Johnson is on pace to make his return from injury this week. According to PFF, Diggs has been in the slot for 126 snaps and out wide for 100 snaps. So, Johnson will see plenty of work on Diggs if he is active.

When asked what it is going to be like going against his former teammate, Johnson said, “I don’t think it’s gonna be too different. I used to go up against him every day in practice, and training camp. I treat training camp like it’s a game so it won’t be too different.”

Bills linebacker and team captain Terrel Bernard had good things to say when it was his turn to answer questions about Diggs.

“He was a really good vet,” Bernard said this week. “He never held back information of how he saw the game or how he approached the game. It was cool to be able to learn from him and be in the same locker room as him for a couple years. We’re excited to see him.”

The Bills are saying all the right things in the media this week ahead of their matchup with Diggs and the Texans. And it does seem genuine. But, when the ball is kicked off Sunday the Bills will only focus on one thing: getting back in the win column.

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Texans WR Stefon Diggs ‘blocking out noise’ in reunion against Bills

Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs is only focused on winning Sunday against the Buffalo Bills and not the outside noise.

Stefon Diggs isn’t worried about facing off against his former team when the Buffalo Bills arrive at NRG Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

He wants to lead the Houston Texans to a 4-1 start. That’s the top priority for the four-time Pro Bowl target.

“Block out the noise. A lot of other people are going to feel away or have a lot to say about X,Y, Z, and I don’t mind. I’m not mad at it,” Diggs said Wednesday during the open locker room sessions. “Just trying to go 1-0. Obviously, they’re a good team. They have a lot of guys that can fly around on the defense. But they’re a really good team. So, I look forward to it.”

Week 5’s matchup between the Texans and Bills has countless storylines to monitor. C.J. Stroud faces off against Josh Allen for what could be a usual showdown in January. The Texans and Bills both seem to be gunning for second place in the AFC contender category behind Kansas City.

But all sights are one Diggs, who spent the previous four seasons with the Bills as Allen’s top target. Even though the two sides parted ways on what feels like mutual terms, everyone understands what a win would mean for either side in the breakup.

“We know what type of week this is for Stef,” receiver Nico Collins said Thursday. “It’s another important week for the team to win a home game on our home turf.”

Diggs became one of the league’s top weapons amid his four-year stay with the Bills. He earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2020. He also became a three-time captain and four-time Pro Bowl selection.

With Allen, Diggs posted the most receptions (445) and receiving yards (5,372) and was tied for the most receiving touchdowns (37) of any quarterback-receiver duo during that stretch. By the time he was traded to Houston in April, Diggs finished fourth in Bills history in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

“The things that he did for me in my career, and the things that he did in a Buffalo Bill uniform won’t be forgotten anytime soon, especially from me,” Allen told reporters earlier this week. “So, that’s how I look at it.”

Diggs, who currently ranks second in both receptions (25) and receiving yards (233), wants to be a part of the team. A constant narrative during his time in Buffalo and Minnesota revolved around his persona of being a “stats guy” over a team player.

Second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud only sees a player who’s helped strengthen a locker room amid struggling moments.

“He’s helped me out a ton as you can see, we’re clicking more and more,” Stroud said. “He’s finally having fun playing the game.”

Last week, Diggs scored his first rushing touchdown. He nearly threw a six-point score, but the receiver missed his window, leading to an 8-yard scuffle toward the end zone.

Come Sunday, Diggs has a chance to add another accolade to his trophy case by besting Buffalo. He’s changed teams, but many would agree that he’s also changed perceptions.

“Things usually turn the corner when I get somewhere else,” Diggs said. “There’s usually smiles and a lot of positive stuff. I just take it with a grain of salt. I got big shoulders.”

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Watch: Texans QB C.J. Stroud finds Nico Collins for TD vs. Jaguars

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud found his top target Nico Collins to go-ahead for the first time against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Despite injuries and penalties throughout, the Houston Texans’ third drive ended in a touchdown.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud found receiver Nico Collins on third-and-goal pass ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars, 14-10.

The Texans enter the third quarter up 17-13.

Houston went into an empty set after running back Dare Ogunbowale motioned out of the backfield outside of Collins, who was matched up one-on-one with Jaguars safety Andre Cisco.

Stroud diagnosed the mismatch and connected with the league’s receiving yards leader for the go-ahead score.

The Texans needed 12 plays to march 74 yards for the score, taking over seven minutes off the clock. Houston overcame a pair of penalties, but also benefited from a Jaguars foul that provided the Texans with an automatic first down in the red zone.

Houston watched as left tackle Laremy Tunsil left the game with an ankle injury, Rookie tackle Blake Fisher filled in his spot for the remainder of the drive.

Receiver Stefon Diggs also left with an injury, but remained on the sideline.

Stroud finished the first half 15-for-20 with 218 yards and a touchdown, continuing his strong play against the Jaguars in his young career.

Collins has been the top target, hauling in five passes for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Watch: Texans WR Stefon Diggs scores first career rushing TD

The Houston Texans strike back with a touchdown run from Stevon Diggs.

Now that’s how you respond.

The Houston Texans tied Sunday’s game at 7-7 thanks to a 10-yard run from wide receiver Stefon Diggs. The play marked the four-time Pro Bowler’s first rushing touchdown of his decade-long career.

Diggs motioned into the backfield opposite Cam Akers and received a handoff from quarterback C.J. Stroud. He ran to the right and appeared to be passing.

No one was open, so he decided to tuck-and-run from from six yards out.

Houston gained 70 yards on a 9-play drive to knock nearly six minutes off the clock. Stroud, who struggled last week in a road loss to Minnesota, went 3-for-3 with 49 yards, including two passes to NFL-leading receiver Nico Collins.

Houston averaged an impressive 7.8 yards per play and already matched its point output from a week against the Minnesota Vikings. Diggs’ touchdown increases his season total to three.

https://twitter.com/NickSchwagerNFL/status/1840445098107994408

The Texans will receive the ball to begin the second half.

Texans Wire Player of the Game: WR Stefon Diggs

Stefon Diggs wasn’t perfect, but he was the Houston Texans’ most consistent target in Sunday’s loss against the Minnesota Vikings.

While the Houston Texans suffered an embarrassing 34-7 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, they did win in one area.

Leadership.

And the man at the helm? All-Pro receiver and newcomer Stefon Diggs, who stepped into the captain role after Houston found itself trailing 14-0 entering the second quarter.

Diggs, who spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with the NFC North franchise, wasn’t pleased with how the team looked after promising outings against Indianapolis and Chicago. He told reporters postgame that no one was playing the standard expected from a contending club.

“At the end of the day, we’ll be fine,” Diggs said postgame in the locker room at U.S. Bank Stadium. “Obviously, things didn’t go as planned, but was trying to get things back on track.”

While the Texans’ offense stalled, Diggs delivered. In his first game back since being traded to Buffalo in 2020, the four-time Pro Bowler Houston in receptions (10), targets (12) and receiving yards (90). He also picked up seven of the Texans’ 16 first downs.

“I played here for a long time, and I saw lots of offenses struggle when I was on the other side,” Diggs said. “Obviously, it was a tough atmosphere, but a lot of it was self-inflicted.”

Overall, no one stood out on either side. Tim Settle Jr. had two sacks in his first start. Cam Akers, who filled in for the injured Joe Mixon, found the end zone on a 6-yard touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud but mustered up only 21 rushing yards.

Stroud, who was consistent in his first two starts, finished 20-of-31 for 215 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. His first pass of the afternoon was picked off when Harrison Phillips batted the ball right into the hands of former Texans linebacker Kamu Gruiger-Hill for a 21-yard return.

His second interception was just a late pass intended for Nico Collins, who finished with four catches for 86 yards.

“We’re still a force to be reckoned with. and we’re still very dangerous,” Stroud said. “We’ve built a foundation solid on rock.”

Someone has to earn player of the game stats. When looking at the emotions surrounding Diggs’ return to the place that kickstarted his All-Pro career, it’s hard to argue with the results.

For his efforts, Diggs is Texans Wire’s Player of the Week and the third recipient of the award, joining Mixon and kicker Kai’imi Fairbairn.