'He's a Hero Around Here!' Seahawks' Quandre Diggs Wins NFL 'Player of the Week'
After intercepting quarterback Baker Mayfield in overtime to set up the Seahawks game-winning field goal in Sunday's 19-16 victory over the Rams, Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 18.
Displaying remarkable range and ball skills, Diggs sprinted out of his backpedal in single-high, middle of field closed coverage aiming to make a play on a deep ball by Mayfield, who attempted to connect with speedy receiver Van Jefferson on a vertical route. As coach Pete Carroll noted, the underthrown pass "hung forever," allowing the ball hawking safety ample time to undercut the route and reel in his fourth pick of the season.
Immediately after the interception, in a gesture that was all in fun, Diggs made sure to rub it in to former teammate Bobby Wagner, holding the ball out with one hand and pointing at the linebacker before stepping out of bounds.
"He timed it up perfectly to get it on the sidelines over there," Carroll said. "He is such a great ball hawk that of course he is going to make that play if you give him a chance. But for him to make it, he is a hero around here. These guys love him. He is a great leader, and they've got nicknames for him and all kinds of stuff, and he is tough as nails. When he speaks, everybody shuts up, and then to come through and make a play like that, it's just beautiful and fitting and really happy for him."
As Diggs indicated after the game, he was "thinking the worst" when he noticed Jefferson running downfield wide open. The Rams had dialed up a perfect play call against the coverage the Seahawks were in, but after failing to secure a couple potential interceptions earlier in the season, including a critical drop against the 49ers in a Week 15 defeat, the three-time Pro Bowler wasn't going to miss this one.
"They had us in a coverage where they wanted us, and I was just able to go out and make a play," Diggs remarked. "That was probably my favorite interception ever because of just the atmosphere and everything that went along with this game and this interception. It was dope, so all I saw was the ball and I was like, ‘I’m going to get it.’ I was able to go and get it and I caught it. I think that’s all that matters, I caught that one. I have been getting some grief and I have been holding myself accountable for dropping the other ones, but I had to get that one.”
Last January, Diggs suffered a grisly broken ankle in Seattle's season finale against Arizona. After undergoing surgery to repair the injury, he signed a three-year, $40 million contract to stay in the Pacific Northwest in March, deservedly becoming one of the top 10 highest-paid safeties in the NFL after picking off five passes in each of the previous two seasons and making back-to-back Pro Bowls.
But Diggs got off to a somewhat slow start in his fourth season with the Seahawks, missing more tackles than usual and failing to record his first interception until Week 12 against the Raiders. Since that point, however, he has rounded back into form as one of the best playmaking safeties in the sport.
Dating back to Week 14, per Pro Football Focus, Diggs has allowed only one reception on six targets in coverage, producing two interceptions and two pass breakups. While that lone reception was a 13-yard touchdown, his 39.6 passer rating over the past five games ranks second in the NFL among qualified safeties.
For the season, Diggs ranks third among safeties allowing only 10 receptions and first overall yielding a 47.6 percent completion rate. He's also in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed (135) and opposing passer rating (60.7) while adding 69 tackles, fourth-most on Seattle's defense this season.
With his first Defensive Player of the Week selection, Diggs became the third Seahawks defender to garner the honor this season. Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu captured the award in Week 1 against the Broncos and rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen took home the award in Week 6 after picking off Kyler Murray in a win over the Cardinals.
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