I can Digg it.
I promise I’ll hop off the Vikings bandwagon after this article.
Stefon Diggs is becoming a well known force in the league. He’s putting up some monster numbers in his Sophomore season.
He broke onto the scene as a rookie in week 4 with 87 yards! and er.. 2 fumbles. A quite forgettable start but he answered in week 5 with 129 yards. Week 6 he topped 100 yards again and his first TD.
Cue: Can you Digg it Celebration.
By the end of his rookie season he ended with quite a respectable 52 receptions for 720 yards and 4 TD’s through 13 games with 9 starts.
Allen Robinson in his rookie season ended with 48 receptions for 548 yards and 2 trips to the end zone. Not exactly a sparkling performance.
There was so much debate with who would be the Allen Robinson of 2016, with players like DeVante Parker on Miami or John Brown for the Cardinals receiving so much love. It seems like Stefon Diggs was overlooked by oh so many. Now with Tannehill-Jarvis Landry love connection going strong and John Brown behind an ageless Larry Fitzgerald and the mysteriously good Michael Floyd. Parker and Brown don’t have the opportunity to break out, even then the comparisons didn’t match up that well.
Allen Robinson and Blake Bortles came into the league together first and second round a piece. Let them grow together and hopefully they build a rapport.
Teddy Bridgewater was drafted in 2014 with Stefon Diggs a year later. Teddy is good, no question. Diggs has become good. The difference is Diggs is showing signs of elite play under different QBs.
How many WR’s do we see struggle without their favorite Quarterback?
- Demaryius Thomas isn’t putting up elite numbers without Peyton Manning.
- Dez Bryant is notorious for faltering without Romo
- Calvin Johnsons Stats improved a lot when Stafford was under center
It’s not a hard and fast rule but yeah, You get the point.
Whereas Deandre Hopkins put up beastly numbers with Brian Hoyer and every other glorified Kickers that call themselves “Journeymen Quarterbacks”
Diggs was the Wide Out Adrian Peterson deserved, the guy who will draw attention and prevent teams stacking the box. Yet the clowns in charge aka Wilf family, spent years just denying the Vikings anything.
The Vikings Front Office have the greatest jobs in the world at this point. The GM and Chief of Scouting would grab 7 darts and take turns throwing these darts at a board of prospects. Take whoever they hit. This limited the chances of drafting any positions they actually required. Genius.
Suddenly in 2014 this front office fucked up their plan. The dart of fate condemned Teddy Bridgewater a bright young prospect from the University of Louisville to Minnesota. Rick Spielman started panicking, wildly jumping onto his computer and fired up Bing (Minnesota hasn’t received any internet beyond dial up) he worried because the name rung a bell. After 74 seconds of waiting Bing loaded up the search results. This kid was a Winner. He couldn’t break the sacred Viking Tradition of darty-picky but surely he couldn’t draft this kid. He proceeded to ask Viking Chief Zygi Wilf for wisdom regarding the situation. Zygi pronounced that Teddy would take so long to develop that Adrian Peterson would see no benefits. Then by the time Teddy was good, Peterson would be long gone and Teddy could always keep them close but never quite make it all the way. Rick Spielman drew a sigh of relief and drafted Teddy.
Teddy rebelled by having a decent rookie year, flashing his potential. Showing the Vikings fans that their is more to life than making the playoffs and then bottling it.
2015
Now the fans hungry to pillage the league, demanding more. The Front Office had to make a good pick. Spielman did some research in the run up to this draft.
- ROUND 1. Trae Wayne’s CB — Decent choice but hasn’t been utilised.
- ROUND 2. Eric Kendricks LB — Decent but nothing special
- ROUND 3. Danielle Hunter DE — OK so your 3rd defensive player, offense is where they need help
- ROUND 4. TJ Clemmings OL — Finally a player to protect Wee Teddy
- ROUND 5. Mycol Pruitt TE — So Kyle Rudolph is supposed to be the TE for the future but can never have enough depth I guess..
- ROUND 5. Stefon Diggs WR *Ding Ding Ding* He’s your man.
Oh they didn’t know what they’d done but they blindly stumbled into a future star. How do I know they had no clue?
They made him inactive for the first three games. Now the Vikings didn’t have any decent Wide outs to play over him.
Spielman turned up to the first practice in a metallic gold suit. Adrian Peterson stood there shocked at Spielman, he hadn’t seen him for several years. Spielman walked right past him and introduced himself to Teddy Bridgewater and Kyle Rudolph. “So this will be your break out season Kyle right?” Kyle grunted the same grunt he’s offered the last few years. Spielman announces to the press that Rudolph will be a monster this season and will feature heavily in the offense. (WE ALL KNOW IT’S A LIE BUT SOMEONE STILL DRAFTS HIM IN FANTASY)
Spielman pays no attention to Stefon assuming he is the water boy. He shakes Teddy's hand with an steel like grip, trying hardest to break a bone in his throwing hand or atleast damage a ligament.
Having quality young players puts a strain on Spielmans schedule.
Fast forward a couple weeks
Spielman comes to practice again to match a 2008 record of his, visiting practice twice in one season. He sees 'The Water boy' catch a 16 yard pass with one hand, juke his defender and finish for a score. Spielman declares we must sign this diamond in the rough. Stefon plays the next game.
Diggs tears the league a new one.
89 yards. 129 yards. 108 yards. 95 yards. Zimmer quickly realised Diggs was a weapon and reined him in. Changing the Game plan to stifle his talents.
This season Diggs started well, but soon developed a niggling groin injury which has limited his effectiveness. Teddy Bridgewater has a potentially career ending injury and can the Vikings trust Sam Bradford under center for the foreseeable future?
The Vikings are 5–1 so all is not lost, that D is a powerhouse and takes a lot of pressure off the offense. Diggs might have another decent-ish season this year. But I expect him to have a major breakout next season and solidify himself as an elite wide out, barring any major QB shake ups.
