GREEN BAY, Wis. — Houston Texans broad receiver Stefon Diggs stated “I am by no means the larger particular person,” relating to his heated pregame scuffle with Inexperienced Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander.
Roughly 20 minutes earlier than the Packers and Texans kicked off, Diggs and Alexander had a heated trade on the sphere by the Packers’ sideline. Seconds later, a big group of Packers joined the verbal altercation as Diggs was the lone Texan, which become just a little little bit of pushing and shoving.
Diggs stated he was strolling to the locker room as the sport was on the brink of kick off earlier than he heard “chirping” from Alexander.
“I do not give a f— if I am on my own or with one million. I am by no means the larger particular person. I ain’t letting s— go,” Diggs stated postgame. “They picked it up or no matter. However I ain’t with the soccer powerful man s—.”
The Packers went on to defeat the Texans 24-22, capped by a profitable area objective from Brandon McManus as Diggs completed with a quiet day, totaling 23 yards on 5 catches.
Coach DeMeco Ryans would’ve most popular for Diggs to be the larger particular person as Ryans wasn’t thrilled with the pregame trade and stated, “We will not be about chirping.”
“Issues like that occur. These guys have a historical past. They have been going at it earlier than. We do not wish to encourage that,” Ryans stated. “We simply wish to go play ball the correct method and ensure it is settled on the sphere.”
The Texans’ passing offense wasn’t capable of flip Diggs’ pregame fireplace into a good product. The unit had its worst passing efficiency in Ryans’ tenure with a internet complete of 55 yards.
Star quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for a career-low 86 yards with no touchdowns though Houston’s protection and particular groups unit compelled three turnovers. The offensive dashing assault was efficient, too, as operating again Joe Mixon completed with 115 yards and two touchdowns.
However the passing nonetheless could not capitalize on it as Stroud went 2-for-7 on third downs for 13 yards whereas being sacked thrice. The struggles began with cross safety because the Packers pressured Stroud on 48% of his dropbacks, a season excessive.
“We saved capturing ourselves within the foot as soon as once more,” Stroud stated. “That is only a recipe for catastrophe if you’re taking part in in opposition to an awesome workforce. I feel our protection did an awesome job at present. Our particular groups did wonderful. So, we obtained to be higher as an offense. That is on us, level clean, interval.”
On account of poor cross safety, the Stroud-Diggs connection wasn’t capable of get going. And for all of the pregame fireworks between Alexander and Diggs, they matched up in opposition to one another solely six instances with no targets, based on Subsequent Gen Stats.
Sunday wasn’t the primary time Alexander and Diggs had a pregame scuffle. In Week 8 of 2022, the 2 had a chippy interplay when each gamers ran out of the tunnel on the similar time for pregame warmups when Diggs was a Buffalo Invoice.
The Payments gained 27-17, and Diggs completed with 108 receiving yards and a landing. After the sport, Alexander known as Diggs a “little boy,” however this time round, he wasn’t out there within the locker room to debate this heated trade. Security Xavier McKinney defended the Professional Bowl cornerback and stated, “I am with [No.] 2-3 each time.”
“They obtained they personal little stuff,” McKinney stated. “I am with my guys and we going to experience collectively and that is simply what it’s, so if he don’t love him, then I do not like him. That is what it’s.”
Packers defensive finish Rashan Gary concurred.
“Each recreation that we play is an enormous recreation, however simply understanding the kind of workforce they’re, understanding the place we wish to get to within the season, you have to handle enterprise at present,” Gary stated. “And all of that chirping earlier than the sport, we do not like that faux, powerful stuff as a result of we have 60 minutes to play ball, and that is what we did at present.”
ESPN Workers Author Rob Demovsky contributed to this report.
