The New England Patriots are tied with the Denver Broncos for the NFL’s best record at 11-2, and they could clinch the AFC East title for the first time since 2019 with a win over the rival Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon.
Despite having a better record than the Bills, playing at home, and already having beaten Buffalo once this season, oddsmakers have made the Patriots underdogs entering this much-anticipated game. The Bills are favored by 1.5 points at some sportsbooks.
While some people might view the Patriots being underdogs as a sign of disrespect, veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs sees it as a positive.
“I didn’t know that. That’s the first time I’ve heard it. Good,” Diggs said to reporters when told his team was underdogs this week.
Diggs later added that the Patriots play with “a real edge” when they’re underdogs.
“This team is full of (players) that were castoffs and people who were cut or people who didn’t necessarily get the opportunity that they wanted,” Diggs said. “However you dice it up, I feel like that’s good for us.
“Being an underdog, people like us have been an underdog our whole life. We’re going to have something to prove regardless of it. I think the main thing is it gets exciting when you’re an underdog, when you’ve got a lot to prove, when you’re playing with that edge and you’re playing aggressive because nobody believes in us but us.”
The Patriots are not being viewed as a true Super Bowl contender by a lot of people even though they’ve won 10 straight games and their quarterback, Drake Maye, is a legit league MVP candidate.
The Patriots’ soft schedule is usually the first reason people cite when explaining why they don’t think New England is a legit contender. And sure, the Patriots have played one of the easiest schedules, but they do have quality wins over the Bills and Buccaneers, and they’re 6-0 on the road.
The good news for the Patriots is they can silence many of the doubters with a win on Sunday. And based on Diggs’ comments, it sounds like they are relishing the opportunity.
