The Patriots received proof in primetime.
It’s no longer a question and instead a statement: Stefon Diggs has helped Drake Maye in a way no other pass-catcher has to this point.
“That chemistry seems to be building every week,” Patriots insider Phil Perry said on The Breakdown alongside Ted Johnson.
Diggs caught 10 of 12 passes Maye threw his way in New England’s 23-20 victory against the Bills on Sunday night. His 10 receptions accounted for 146 receiving yards and marked the second consecutive game Diggs eclipsed 100 yards — the first time he’s done so in back-to-back games since Oct. 2023.
Midway through the third quarter, after the Bills took a 10-6 lead over the Patriots, Maye and Diggs connected on a 32-yard gain. It featured a little bit of everything as Maye rolled out to his right and Diggs showcased his veteran savvy down the field.
Johnson and Perry broke down the play, which they said featured some “backyard ball,” during The Breakdown.
“It’s really a lot of heat coming off the edge,” Johnson said in reference to Buffalo’s overload blitz come at rookie left tackle Will Campbell. “I think Drake Maye feels that.”
The pressure off the left edge prompted the right-handed Maye to roll to his right. There were no Buffalo rushers on that side with New England’s max protection giving the offense eight blockers against five rushers. With right tackle Morgan Moses as well as tight ends Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper on the right edge, Maye didn’t feel any pressure.
“He’s buying time by going to his right and bailing out,” Johnson said.
“What you see here is Drake Maye signals to Stefon Diggs. You see him on the film put his finger up like ‘Go! Go!'” Johnson continued. “Because the original route that Stef Diggs ran was covered. So, Stef Diggs has to ad-lib and go to another move and he kind of pivots around his coverage and goes around this cornerback and out-leverages him.”
With Diggs shaking free of Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White, the veteran wideout gave Maye a place to throw the football. And the second-year signal-caller threw it perfectly.
“It’s the perfect pass and a perfect ad-lib route there by Stef Diggs,” Johnson said. “These two guys are vibing right now. They’re on the same page. You saw it in that backyard ball. They just ad-libbed and they were both thinking the same thing, and it was a perfect play.”
Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson scored a four-yard touchdown on the next play from scrimmage. It helped New England regain its lead, and ultimately played a pivotal role in the Patriots earning an upset win.
For more from The Breakdown, watch the video above.
