Vikings' Stefon Diggs nearing 1,000 yards receiving

Second-year Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs needs just 139 receiving yards over his final three regular-season games to become the team's first 1,000-yard receiver since Sidney Rice in 2009. Diggs, who partnered this week with CenturyLink to help Pillsbury United Communities, a local non-profit organization, chatted about his pursuit of 1,000 yards and and other topics with the Star Tribune's Michael Rand.

Q: So much has happened this season, from Teddy Bridgewater's injury to the Sam Bradford trade to Norv Turner quitting. How do you process all of that stuff as it happens?

A: As far as being an up-and-down roller-coaster, you have guys who will say, "We can't get a break" and other guys who say, "Oh well, we don't need breaks." But we just have to continue to push through and work through it.

Q: That first game against Green Bay, you and Sam Bradford seemed to get on the same page pretty quickly. Since then, you've caught a ton of passes. How did you sync up with him?

A: I think just as far as building that trust with him through each and every route and catch and letting him know you're going to be there when he needs you.

Q: You still feel like you can win the rest of your games after all that's happened this year?

A: I do, and I think everyone in the locker room feels like we can win out. We just have to take it one game at a time and focus on the Colts this week. That's the next wall we need to push through. After that we'll push through the next one and the next one.

Q: You see your head coach, Mike Zimmer, out there wearing an eye patch. He's going through a lot, too. What did it mean to have him back coaching last game and going forward?

A: He's a tough guy. He's not a big talker about things like that, but he likes to get things done. It's just another part of the roller-coaster for us in terms of even our coach has been banged up a little bit. When he's around, there's definitely a different aura. He'll chew you out in a second, but we definitely love having him.

Q: As far as milestones go, 1,000 receiving yards is something a lot of people talk about. What would it mean to you to achieve that?

A: I'll let you know when it happens. Of course, you wish for the best and want it to happen. But when it does happen, we can have another interview.

Q: Adam Thielen might catch up to you and get there, too. He's only about 100 behind you, right?

A: He's definitely a baller. I hope we can break it together — though none of that really matters to me as long as we keep winning.

Q: He keeps getting deep sideline passes. What do you do about that?

A: Oh yeah, he gets a couple of those. I'm going to have to snatch one.

Q: And then there's you having to get your 80 yards on 13 catches in one game this year. How is that fair?

A: Yeah, I know, that was a little rough. But you have to make it happen.

Q: You just had a birthday — 23. That was my favorite age. How does it feel?

A: So far, it feels good. It feels like I'm around that age when I have to start making some decisions. But it's fun. I hope that after this season I can go somewhere and celebrate. Right now I'm in grind mode.