Terp-on-Terp crime: Stefon Diggs beats J.C. Jackson for TD

Ravens

Terp-on-Terp crime: Stefon Diggs beats J.C. Jackson for TD

One of the most intriguing individual matchups entering Monday night’s Bills-Patriots game was between a pair of University of Maryland alumni: Buffalo wideout Stefon Diggs and New England cornerback J.C. Jackson.

For much of the first half, Jackson had gotten the better of Diggs, holding the NFL’s leading receiver to just two catches for 19 yards. But late in the second quarter, things quickly flipped.

On first-and-10 from midfield, Diggs ran past Jackson on a crossing route before outrunning the remainder of Buffalo’s defenders for an easy touchdown, Diggs’ sixth score of the season.

After the score, ESPN analyst Louis Riddick mentioned on the broadcast that Jackson and Diggs had been jawing at each other all evening.

“They were talking trash to each other down here,” Riddick said. “Now these are two Terps, two Maryland alumni, and Stefon got the best of him on that one.”

With Stephon Gilmore, the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, out for New England, Jackson had been shadowing Diggs all evening. Before the touchdown, Jackson was matched up with Diggs on 15 of 18 routes.

“This has been a heavyweight battle. They’ve been going back and forth,” Riddick said. “Stefon is one of those guys, you don’t play perfectly with him, especially when he’s running those crossing routes in man coverage, you get caught out of position, he’s going to have a house call and he got one right there.”

The touchdown put Buffalo ahead of New England 24-9, inching the Bills closer to the AFC’s No. 2 seed and the franchise’s first sweep over the Patriots since 1999.

On the play, Diggs also moved past Eric Moulds for most receptions by a Buffalo player in a single season. He already had passed Moulds for most catches in a single year. 

Diggs wasn’t done yet, though. In the third quarter, Diggs would beat Jackson once again for an 18-yard score, extending Buffalo’s lead to three possessions

Jackson has had an incredible season for New England, as his eight interceptions are good for the second-most by any player in the NFL this season. Monday night belonged to Diggs, though.