‘What Chances?’ NFL Interception King Trevon Diggs Explains Dallas Cowboys Style
FRISCO - NFL interception king Trevon Diggs doesn't know what you're talking about.
Or, maybe said less sensitively: The Dallas Cowboys star cornerback thinks you, his critic, doesn't know what you're talking about.
“What chances?'' Diggs replied this week to a media question about how his aggressive style helped him record a league-best 11 interceptions on the way to his first Pro Bowl berth. "I don’t know what 'taking chances' means.
"I play football.''
We chose our phrasing - "his aggressive style'' - with purpose, because without trying to delve into the X's and O's of it, it is largely Diggs' ball skills that lead to his playmaking, as opposed to some "negative choice.''
Some analysts (we're looking at you, Pro Football Focus) downgrade Diggs because they seem to believe he gives up almost as much as he gets due to "his aggressive style.'' And while Diggs concedes to wanting to be even better (he lists his 2022 goals here) ... What they do not (cannot?) know is that Diggs' freedom to do what he does best is in part by design. Those aforementioned "ball skills'' - his ability to break on a ball, to play possum in coverage before catching up, and ultimately, to catch the football as if he's the wide receiver he once was at Alabama? - those aren't happenstance, or free-lancing.
Trevon Diggs, arguably one of "The 5 Most Important Cowboys,'' is succeeding in a system. And making the system exponentially better.
penchant for interceptions comes at the cost of allowing big plays in the passing game when he isn’t successfully forcing a takeaway.
On Wednesday, Diggs was asked about his propensity to “take chances” instead of focusing on techniques when he covers receivers.
Diggs, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said, is "a receiver faking it as a D-back.'' And he means that as a compliment.
In the Cowboys' view, it would be a waste not to make sure Diggs is put in a position to get his hands on the football, at which time he grabs it with the certainty he shares with his brother, Buffalo Bills star wideout Stefon Diggs.
As far as Dallas is concerned, Diggs giving up a play or two here and there (as most every corner does) is more than offset by the fact he led the league in interceptions and interception yards in 2021 while also stealing two pick-6 TDs.
The All-Pro Diggs had as many or more interceptions than 11 entire teams did last season; how can that be bad?
"A true competitor,'' said coordinator Dan Quinn, whose defense topped the league with 26 interceptions. "Don’t confuse that quiet demeanor. This is a true wolf in sheep’s clothing - a real competitor.''
And a real cornerback - for a team that values playmaking, about as real as exists in the NFL.
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