Dallas Cowboys Trevon Diggs making fools of his critics

When a player wears a star on his helmet, he can be assured vast amounts of unwarranted criticism is coming his way. The Dallas Cowboys evoke a level of love and hate that is unmatched in the NFL. All too often, media and fans are chronically eager to point out the slightest perceived misstep of said player, and no one knows this better than Trevon Diggs.

With all due respect to Dak Prescott (who some in our own fanbase love to hate), Trevon Diggs is arguably the most maligned Cowboy on the roster. Diggs’ record setting 11 interceptions was somehow discredited by a very determined segment of fans/media. Pro Football Focus was especially ridiculous in this endeavor, ranking Diggs as the 80th best (best?) cornerback in the NFL last year.

PFF’s yards against were different than all other NFL play tracking and their credibility suffered enormously by their stubborn refusal to admit Diggs was special and their grading was highly flawed. Their simplistically arbitrary metrics weren’t designed for a player who operated outside of the norm. He baits. He allows separation. He’s more concerned with the ball than being close to the receiver. He’s playing with higher goals than anyone else.

Trevon Diggs has silenced his doubters and made fools of his critics this season for the Dallas Cowboys.

Plain and simple: Trevon Diggs is showing far more than just INTs and he’s giving the NFL a clinic in elite CB play.

https://twitter.com/NextGenStats/status/1576640798581350400

Proving them wrong

Fans and media who wanted to hate Diggs latched on to any and all reporting that supported their desire. And all offseason we saw bold statements from comically serious “football people” say somehow the yards discredited the interceptions. The only problem is EPA (expected points added) told us they didn’t, and Diggs was one of the most productive DBs the NFL has seen when you consider all plays against, both good and bad.

Still, the narrative was written and the only way to change it was by Trevon Diggs’ play on the field. Defensive turnovers are regarded as an extremely unstable stat. Rarely do standout performances repeat year over year. To expect Diggs to snag double-digit INTs again is against all odds. For Diggs to show up his doubters, he’d have to improve across the board and do the things they said he couldn’t do – Like shut down receivers.

This season for the Dallas Cowboys, Diggs has faced off against some of the best WRs in the NFL and he’s effectively shut each of them down. Diggs is currently on pace to set the single season record for passes defensed (38 current pace) and is still on track to corral eight, EIGHT, interceptions. He even has a game-saving tackle this season, proving he’s willing to step up at an area of weakness when the moments are most critical.

Diggs is currently on pace to set the single season record for passes defensed (38) and is still on track to corral eight INTs

The Dallas Cowboys 2020 second round pick out of Alabama has established himself as one of the best all-around cover corners in the NFL. He’s improved in coverage while still maintaining the edge and knack for the big play. He’s proving the separation is a plan and not a mistake, something many film graders struggle to accept.

His two interceptions this season have been of top quality and not the “easy picks” his critics tried to label last year’s grab bag of stolen items. Frankly, if you look back at the past couple games, he probably could have had two more given what we know of his ball skills (two very close calls).

Last season, there was a lot of bad to go with all the good. His production far outweighed the yards given up, but it’s important to acknowledge his coverage was loose and of the untraditional variety. With that said, he improved considerably this offseason in all areas.  He is playing with more discipline, technique, and consistency, and proving he’s not just interested in the big play, he’s interested in being the best in the game.

And you know what? He might just be. Diggs isn’t even close to plateauing in his development but is there any CB out there you’d trade him for? That would be a tough argument to make after watching the first four games this season.

Trevon Diggs is everything he was last season and so much more for the Dallas Cowboys. He’s doing the things his critics said he couldn’t and he’s still the same play-making ball hawk. Wonder what they’ll think of to discredit him now?