Stefon Diggs may have raised a few eyebrows among fans — and possibly unsettled some within the coaching staff — when he jokingly rated his comfort level in the Patriots offense as only a “5 out of 10” after a standout performance against the Carolina Panthers. Despite posting 6 receptions for 101 yards in the Patriots’ dominant 42–13 victory, Diggs hinted there’s still room to grow. But Pats quarterback Drake Maye isn’t concerned. In fact, he believes the best is still to come from his connection with Diggs as the season progresses. One of their first true tests will come this Sunday, when Maye and Diggs face Diggs’ former team — the Buffalo Bills — on the road in Buffalo.
“I think the five out of 10 meant he has a lot better to go,” Maye told WEEI on Monday. “We’ve just got to keep building. We’ve got our best football to play ahead of us.”
Maye praised Diggs’ strong outing against the Panthers and noted targeting him in the red zone as the next step in their growing chemistry. One clear goal moving forward: helping Diggs find the end zone for the first time in a Patriots uniform.
“I think he made a great play and I need to get him in the end zone, that’s probably the next thing,” Maye added. “Gotta break maybe one more tackle. I’m excited to see him do that. It’s good for him to get back out there and have a great week.”
Diggs’ praise for Maye was both mutual and deeply complimentary. “He had a hell of a day. He’s a good quarterback,” Diggs said following the Patriots win over the Panthers. “He’s starting to come along as you can see. He looks sharp out there. I’m just excited for the future.”
While Drake Maye didn’t seem concerned by Diggs’ “5 out of 10” comment, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel appeared to take it a bit more seriously.
“He should study more,” Vrabel told WEEI on Monday. “Five out of 10, I’ll have to talk to Stef today.”
Diggs later clarified that his comments were mostly facetious — personal motivation he uses to push himself to play at an even higher level.
“When I said the other day it was a 5 out of 10, obviously, I was being facetious, or sarcastic in a way,” Diggs told media on Wednesday. “Just because, the way I look at it, I never want to get too comfortable. I said 5 out of 10 because if it’s 8 out of 10, or 9 out of 10, I don’t really have to look at my notes. I don’t really have to look over it multiple times.”
Diggs added, “For me, I’m just trying to keep it at a comfort level of being hungry, and humble … not going in thinking I’ve got it all figured out. That offense does throw some curve balls at you.”
Diggs said jokingly of Vrabel’s reaction, “He knows how much time I put in and hard I work, especially during the week. He would be able to tell if I was out there (expletive) up.”
As the Patriots gear up for their crucial Week 5 showdown, Drake Maye is confident in growing connection with Stefon Diggs, a partnership that could prove vital to New England’s offensive success this season. With both players showing steady improvement and building chemistry on the field, fans have plenty to be optimistic about as the Patriots look to challenge the undefeated Bills this Sunday in Buffalo.
