Patriots' Star WR Praises Team For Gritty Divisional Round Win

Stefon Diggs caught four passes in the New England Patriots' 28-16 playoff win over the Houston Texans, and two of them were as impressive as any catch he made in his first year with the team.

In the second quarter, he snagged a Drake Maye dart for the Patriots' second of three touchdowns on the afternoon. Two quarters later, Diggs converted on a third down after reaching backwards for another impressive snag.

It wasn't the cleanest game by any measure for the Patriots -- the snowy weather certainly didn't help -- but the team learned a lot about themselves, the wideout said postgame.

"Battling adversity," Diggs said. "We talked a lot about it during the week, that a fight ain’t a fight until you meet resistance. Until they swing back. And they definitely were swinging back the whole time. Being able to weather and come out with a W, I just feel like — I’m thankful."

Stefon Diggs Caught A Major TD Against The Vaunted Texans Defense

The Patriots' offense wasn't clicking for all four quarters. Struggles in pushing the ball downfield let the Texans crawl back into the game. Instead of wilting away, the Patriots used a major bully ball-esque drive to put the game away late.

"We had some good plays, we had some bad plays, but that drive in the fourth quarter when they knew we were running the ball and we ate up like six, seven minutes of the clock," Diggs said. "Even though it ended with a (punt), that meant a lot. We drove 40 yards and we were running the ball. They knew we were running the ball. It said a lot about our o-line. I know we’ve got some guys banged up or some guys dealing with some stuff. And Rhamondre (Stevenson) continues to show up."

Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) celebrates after a touchdown in the second quarter against the Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Diggs finished the game with four grabs for 40 yards, and now returns to the AFC Championship for the first time since he was a member of the Buffalo Bills. And although the Patriots open up at 4.5-point favorites over the host Denver Broncos, Diggs hopes the national media continues to sleep on New England.

"Hopefully, they do that again this week because that’s another good defense we’re about to go see,” Diggs said, referring to a now-viral photo of ESPN talking heads all choosing the Texans to win the game. "Playing with a chip on our shoulder. I think we’re one of those teams that plays better with a chip on our shoulder. When everybody counted us out. It was a handful of commentators and people — the little tidbits I do see because I try not to see it too much — they all picked Houston to win. For good reason. That’s a good football team and I understand that vantage point. All we can do is come in and work hard during the week and put ourselves in the best position to win the game."

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