Stefon Diggs addresses sideline drama, early exit after Bills loss to Bengals: 'Easy to criticize'

Stefon Diggs wasn't there to answer questions Sunday.

So he spoke for himself Monday.

The Bills receiver was visibly displeased during a sideline interaction with quarterback Josh Allen late in Buffalo's playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. After the game, Diggs reportedly made a quick exit from the Bills locker room and didn't address media.

His reaction made headlines on top of the game result, prompting Diggs to address the subject in a string of Tweets.

Diggs' tweets echoed the presumptions of his coach and quarterback, who both attributed Diggs' reaction on and off the field to his competitive nature. They both faced questions about Diggs after CBS cameras recorded his sideline spat with Allen.

Diggs was upset with Allen after a failed fourth-and-6 play late in the game saw Allen target Gabe Davis in the end zone.

Allen and Diggs both struggled in the 27-10 loss that marked an unexpected early end to a season that started with Super Bowl hopes. Diggs tallied four catches for 35 yards while Allen failed to throw for a touchdown.

Allen, who seemed disinterested in engaging with Diggs after the failed fourth down, told reporters postgame game that his teammate is a "fiery competitor."

"He's a fiery competitor," Allen said. "He wants the ball. Whatever it was that we couldn't get him the ball tonight, we're gonna have to learn from."

Head coach Sean McDermott, meanwhile, defended Diggs' "competitive" nature.

"What makes him good is what you saw," McDermott said. "He's very competitive, like we all are. We work extremely hard at these jobs to be the best that we can possibly be. And it hurts.

"I wouldn't want a guy that doesn't hurt. He put it all on the line out there. We put it all on the line. And tonight it wasn't good enough. That's the part that stings."

Sunday's loss was easily Buffalo's worst effort of the season when the stakes were at their highest. It raises questions about the construction of a team that was picked by many to win the Super Bowl this season. The bitter taste will surely linger into the offseason as the Bills look address the issues that saw them outmuscled and outplayed at home on Sunday.