The NFL Divisional Round Weekend came to a close with four Maryland alumni seeing the field.
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs scored in the 28-16 win over the Houston Texans to advance to the AFC Championship.
In the second quarter, Diggs scored a much-needed seven-yard cushion touchdown to extend the Patriots’ lead from four to 11 points. Against the NFL’s No. 1 ranked defense, the veteran had four catches for 40 yards.
His individual performance wasn’t eye-popping by any means, but
Diggs stepped up in timely fashion to keep New England in the postseason race. While navigating the postseason with a young team, those sorts of moments in the playoffs are what Diggs was brought in to do. It was his first score of the playoffs and his second total touchdown since November.
Sunday’s win clinched the Patriots’ first AFC Championship game since 2019. For Diggs, this is the first since 2021, when he was a member of the Buffalo Bills.
The Patriots will hit the road and take on the Denver Broncos in the conference title game. The winner advances to Super Bowl LX at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
2025 rookies
- Chicago Bears linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II was inactive during Divisional Round Weekend.
- Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Tommy Akingbesote remained on the practice squad for Divisional Round Weekend.
Other players
- Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore rushed for eight yards on one carry in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He also had five catches for 52 yards and a touchdown, but crucially showed a lack of effort on a route that turned into an overtime interception.
- San Francisco 49ers defensive end Sam Okuayinonu made three tackles in a loss against the Seattle Seahawks.
- Buffalo Bills safety Darnell Savage played three snaps and made no tackles in a loss against the Denver Broncos.
- Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson was inactive in a loss against the Denver Broncos.
The first game of the conference Championship Round is set to begin on Sunday, Jan. 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
