'Fun Is Scoring Touchdowns!' Stefon Diggs on Buffalo Bills Scoring Slump
Since the Buffalo Bills blew out the most feared offense in football in Week 4, defeating the Miami Dolphins 48-20, their own offense has taken a step back.
In the three weeks since, Buffalo is 1-2 and the offense has ground to a halt. They mustered just 14 points in a Week 6 win over the measly New York Giants. A week later, they were embarrassed by a New England Patriots team that had offered opposing defenses the least threatening offense in the conference.
It certainly hasn’t been very fun to watch, but star receiver Stefon Diggs is still having a good time. He refuted claims that the recent stretch has “sucked the life out of” the offense.
Bills receiver Stefon Diggs makes a catch against the New England Patriots.
© Brian Fluharty, USA TODAY
“I’m still having a blast,” Diggs said on Tuesday. “Not a blast if I’m being exact, but it’s not so much that. It’s more so you look at the things that are fun, [it] is scoring touchdowns. We haven’t had too many touchdowns.”
They managed to find the end zone three times in their 29-25 loss to New England. Regardless, the offensive output was not at all inspiring, continuing a trend that’s persisted throughout October.
Allen is struggling to execute within structure, and the conservative approach to his rushing ability has limited the offense’s upside. The run game has come and gone, and Diggs is the only receiver producing as much as fans had hoped entering the season. Even on an off day, he hauled in six passes for 58 yards and an electric score.
Clearly, it wasn’t enough. In response to the idea that the Bills aren’t excited, Diggs made a point to separate having fun from showing excitement on the football field.
“You want to get excited,” he said. “We can go to the local ice cream shop.”
It seems that excitement will return when the down-to-down consistency does. Whether that’s on offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, Buffalo’s lack of ancillary weapons, or Allen searching for the right headspace—perhaps a combination of each—it’s an issue that must be addressed quickly. The Bills host a feisty Tampa Bay Buccaneers team on Thursday Night Football to open Week 8’s festivities.
They’ll look to create a snowball effect while starting fast on Thursday. There’s no easy fix, but Allen following through on his idea of thinking less and just playing football might be a good start. Keeping them on schedule and ahead of the chains is paramount. Once that clicks, the touchdowns will come, and so will the enthusiasm.
“Execution brings energy,” Diggs said. “If you don’t see that energy, I’d probably lean on that execution not being there.”
Tampa Bay won’t offer an easy path to that goal. They rank 10th in expected points added per play and 17th in success rate. Head coach Todd Bowles is known for his atypical, aggressive defense, but it’s not without its exploits.
Expect Allen and Diggs to remain on the same page. Everything else, though, is still a work in progress.
