Digressions from one key point are common when authors cite more literature than is necessary to frame and justify an argument. We are interested in good writing and use poor writing as a reason to reject manuscripts. We're looking for manuscripts that are well argued and well written. Clear writing is not an adornment but a basic proof of grasp. The basic flaw common to rejected manuscripts is that authors are unable to evaluate critically their own work and seem to make insufficient use of colleagues before the work is submitted.
All work has alternative explanations.
All work contains flaws. The best way to recognize flaws is to discard the discussion section, ask what was learned and what is wrong with it, and frame the discussion in terms of these discoveries. To do this is to anticipate reviewers and improve the probability of acceptance. To permit anonymity, the author's name should not appear on the manuscript proper. Instead, attach a cover page giving the title of the article and the name and affiliation of each author.