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The path for Stefon Diggs to last-play touchdown fame and sudden Minnesota savior didn’t start with such brilliance.

Diggs has only arrived at this stage of his life and his career Calvin Ridley Falcons Jersey , a Vikings standout on the verge of a Super Bowl, with an unrelenting diligence and a dose of humility.

For all the natural talent of a consensus five-star recruit coming out of high school, he’s sure had to work hard to get here.

”He’s my guy. I love him to death. I appreciate all he does for this team, and I appreciate all he’s done for me,” fellow wide receiver Adam Thielen said. ”He’s pushed me harder than anybody has pushed me in my life.”

Remember those first three regular-season games in the NFL? Not really. He was a healthy scratch on the sideline.

That’s a long way from the 61-yard catch-turn-run sequence that Diggs produced as time expired on Sunday that sent the Vikings to the NFC championship game with a 29-24 victory over New Orleans .

”He continually has gotten better over the past three years,” tight end Kyle Rudolph said.

”It’s awesome to see guys like that who work so hard have an opportunity in such a big moment and for them to make the most of it.”

Treating each practice as if it’s a game is a common response from teammates asked about Diggs and his work ethic. Thielen and Diggs are widely considered to be two of the sharpest and savviest route runners in the league.

”He wants to win. Whether he’s getting the ball or he’s not getting ball, blocking or not, whatever he’s doing, he wants to win,” Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander said, adding: ”The thing I love about Diggs is he doesn’t let the game be bigger than him. He just kind of goes in the game, and it’s just another game. That allows you to play well.”

Setbacks became a recurring theme for Diggs, who chose to stay in his home state and play for Maryland so his family could watch him more often despite offers from powerhouse programs such as Auburn, Florida and USC.

With the Terrapins P.J. Hall Youth Jersey , though, he caught passes from four different quarterbacks over three seasons, with more than one starter used each year.

Injuries each season kept him from playing a full schedule, including a broken leg as a sophomore and a lacerated kidney as a junior.

When he declared for the draft a year early, there were also questions from NFL teams about his attitude and compliance.

After high stepping and somersaulting into the end zone in one game in 2013, coach Randy Edsall pulled him aside for a mild admonishment to remind him about the importance of reputation.

With substandard 6-foot height also a factor, Diggs fell to the fifth round for the Vikings to find one of the true steals of that 2015 draft. He made an immediate impact in his debut at Denver, with six receptions for 87 yards. Four games in, he had 419 yards and two touchdowns.

”When I was going into the combine and stuff like that, I had 100 percent confidence in myself,” Diggs said on Wednesday, as the Vikings reconvened for practice in preparation for their game Sunday at Philadelphia.

”I had a lot of support along the way. I had some great coaches and some great teammates that pushed me in the right direction. I’ll never take all the credit.”

His production waned down the stretch of his rookie season, with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater still developing on the job.

In Sam Bradford’s first game for Minnesota in 2016, the lid-lifter at U.S. Bank Stadium against rival Green Bay Dak Prescott Jersey , Diggs hauled in 13 catches for 182 yards and a score in front of a prime time Sunday night audience.

But a groin injury cost him one game and some momentum. Then he hurt his knee and missed another game.

His first two games at home in 2017 were showstoppers, with two touchdowns apiece, but that groin injury popped up again at Chicago and kept him out for the next two weeks. Thielen, meanwhile, surpassed him as Case Keenum’s favorite target.

There was Diggs in the huddle on Sunday, though, with 10 seconds left listening to Keenum tell the receivers he was going to give somebody a shot.

”It meant so much to me to see my quarterback believe in me the last play of the game,” said Diggs, who began crying hard enough to cut short and turn away from one of his on-field TV interviews after the winning touchdown.

His younger brother, Trevon Diggs, happened to be in the stadium that evening for his first live NFL game. He’s a cornerback and punt returner for Alabama who just won a national championship. Their father, Aron Diggs, died 10 years ago of heart failure .

”He started me in football. He played a huge part in what’s going on now. That’s the biggest thing. Kind of try and thank him prior to the game, him and God Cheap Rashaad Penny Jersey ,” Diggs said, ”and try and keep that thing going.”

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BALTIMORE — The Los Angeles Angels are hoping to cure their recent slide with a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles beginning Friday at Camden Yards.

Even though the Angels have lost six consecutive games, they still have time to get back in the wild-card race. However, they will need to gain some much-needed momentum in Baltimore.

“At some point, obviously we need to put both ends together and get the pitching we need, get some early runs and get the game on our terms and we’re going to start to do things the way we can,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are mired in last place and own the worst record in Major League Baseball. Baltimore has lost five straight, including its first-ever four-game sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners.

“I don’t like losing any games. It eats at you,” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. “But you should be doing those things all the time, because things are always evolving, especially in our situation compared to some of the people we compete against in this division.”

The Orioles, looking at a possible rebuild, are open to trading several key players Shaquem Griffin Jersey , including shortstop Manny Machado and closer Zach Britton, as they look toward the future. On Thursday, the team recalled rookie Chance Sisco, who is viewed as a long-term fixture as the starting catcher and will split time with Caleb Joseph.

“Chance went down (to Triple-A Norfolk) and did what we asked him to do and we got him back and we’ll play him and Caleb,” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. “It won’t necessarily be a strict platoon, but could be, depending on how it falls.

“We know we’re getting right, left, right against Anaheim. We know they only have two left-handed hitters. It’s more about today now, but we’re going to make use of all their skills and keep them all in the mix.

“And also, part of Chance’s development is two steps forward, one step back. We’ll keep trying to do what’s best for his long-term development and success.”

The Orioles have also struggled with injuries. Both right-handed reliever Darren O’Day (hamstring) and outfielder Craig Gentry (rib fracture) were placed on the 10-day disabled list earlier this week. The team’s most consistent starter, Dylan Budy (ankle), is also on the DL.

Baltimore looks to get off to a solid start against the Angels with rookie David Hess (2-4 Tyron Smith Jersey , 5.44 ERA) starting the opener. He has shown some upside but has lost his last three decisions.

In his last outing, Hess allowed five runs and seven hits in just four innings of a 7-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

“The results speak for themselves,” Hess said. “They’re definitely different, but I think just executing pitches, I think I haven’t done it as well the past few starts. I think just getting back to what was successful those first few outings. I think we’ll get back to work and make a good move for the next outing.”

Felix Pena (0-0, 5.40) will make his third start of the season for the Angels, filling in for injured Garrett Richards (hamstring). In his last outing, Pena allowed three runs and eight hits with strikeouts and one walk in five innings of a 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. He is facing Baltimore for the first time in his young career.

Los Angeles will be without reliever Jake Jewell, who suffered an ankle injury while covering home plate after a wild pitch against the Red Sox on Wednesday night.

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