Diggs, Alexander both claim last word in SNF feud

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The chippiness between Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs and Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander began when both players ran out of the tunnel at the same time for pregame warm-ups. But what happened next? It all depends on who you ask.

” I don’t care who started it, it was mine. I got the win,” Diggs said after the Bills defeated the Packers 27-17 on Sunday Night Football. “I don’t deal with moral victories. I don’t deal in one-on-1 battles, because it’s not a one on one game. … It was a team effort and I received a dub. There are no moral victories at the end of it all. “

Alexander offered a different perspective.

“Alexander said, “Nah, I don’t either.” Alexander was asked who started the verbal exchange. “I completed it. “

The trash talk started when Diggs was seen running sideways and shouting at Alexander as they walked out of the tunnel. The feud continued as both teams returned to their locker rooms and picked up when they came out of the tunnel for half-time.

Diggs was once again the Bills’ leading receiver on Sunday night, with a game-high six receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown catch. According to NFL NextGen Stats, Alexander was not the closest defender on Diggs’ targets. Alexander lined up against Diggs on only three of his routes (13%).

Diggs and Alexander had previously faced each other across two seasons when Diggs played for the Packers’ NFC North rival, the Minnesota Vikings. Diggs, a Minnesota native, became the first player in eight consecutive games to score a touchdown against Green Bay after spending his first five NFL seasons there.

” I mean, I always thought that he was a decent receiving, but there wasn’t much I could say about him,” Alexander said. Alexander also said that Diggs was “just keeping things real” and told Diggs before the game, that Diggs “couldn’t mess with me,” referring a the receiver as a “little boy.” In the first quarter, Diggs was recovering his own fumble and Alexander appeared to push down on Diggs’ helmet.

Alexander also appeared to exchange words with Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis, whom he lined up against on 60.9% of Davis’ routes (14). Alexander was the closest defender and Davis was targeted four times.

And Diggs at times got into it with Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas, who gave up three receptions for 85 yards and the touchdown as the nearest defender on Diggs. Following his 26-yard TD catch, Diggs had to be held back by teammates Isaiah McKenzie and Davis from getting near Douglas.

“I’m going to be aggressive, and set the tone. Diggs stated that they grabbed Diggs at a crucial moment. “I could have had a flag. It’s not as if you are going after a guy but he is smart. This is how the game plays when it gets a little chippy. “

There was no love between the Packers’ and Bills’ defenses throughout the game.

” “It’s the biggest talking I’ve ever done with another team,” Diggs stated. “‘Cause it’s not clear why. We don’t do too much talking, you know. You’ve seen us every week. We just go in and do our best to get the job done. Sometimes it happens in this way. I don’t care. I don’t care how the game goes. I’m a leader on this football team. I’m going be a leader and will lead by example no matter what. I won’t be pushed around by anyone. “

Diggs on Sunday became the first Bills player with 100 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in three straight games since Elbert Dubenion (1964). He also tied Dubenion for the most games with 100 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in a season in franchise history (five). Diggs now has seven touchdown receptions, tied with Chiefs tight-end Travis Kelce.

ESPN’s Rob Demovsky and The Associated Press contributed to this report.