Joe: Chris, we are in probably the most exciting off season in terms of both the Bills/Sabres. I can’t remember the last time there was this much hype for both teams. With the Sabres, we got Jack Eichel coming here and your boy Ted Nolan is gone and now we have a coach who actually won a championship in this league. Last time we had a head coach for either team to win a championship was John Muckler in the early 90s. Then you have the Bills and they spent a fortune on players and brought a coach who is probably more famous than anyone for both teams. However, we all know the Buffalo teams have always been kings of the off season because fans are desperate to believe. However, when it comes to seeing the proof in the pudding, both teams normally have failed when the real bullets fly. So, in terms of the Bills and Sabres, I pose this question to you since both teams are in a playoff drought, who gets in first?
Chris: The easy answer is the Bills. For a bunch of reasons. They have a competent coach. Or, at least a coach who is far more competent than the last guy. The Bills have a fearsome defense which should potentially improve under Rex Ryan and there are weapons all over the offensive side of the ball. But they don’t have a quarterback. They have four guys on the roster listed as QBs but I’m not sure any one of them qualifies as a true NFL starter. Maybe Matt Cassel. So while I want to believe the Bills will end their (and Buffalo’s) playoff drought this year, I wouldn’t be overly surprised if the Sabres wind up giving them a run over the next couple of seasons.
Joe: I think your reasons are very true. I think overall the Bills are better than the Sabres today. However, I think making the playoffs in the NFL is more difficult than making the playoffs in the NHL. 16 teams make the dance in hockey, while its only 12 in the NFL. Plus, the shitty teams in the NFL normally make the playoffs when their division stinks and they win it with an 8-8 record. Sadly, Tom Brady still plays in our division. Plus, the most important position on either team is probably at QB and we all know the Bills are totally lost there. Also, and this may sound crazy and morbid, but does not making the playoffs for 15 years hurt or help the Bills in terms of their case to make it? On one hand you have the terrible 15 year drought that could make you say “Well, they aren’t gonna get in because they never do.” Yet, on the other hand, this drought has to end. Teams normally don’t go this long not making the playoffs. I doubt they would go another 5-10 years without making it..right? RIGHT?!!?
Chris: I think we’ve reached the “they’re due” point with the Bills. You can only stumble around being mediocre for so long before something falls in your favor. Now, you could argue that if there was a year for that to happen it would’ve been last season. But their QB play let them down again.
If the Sabres were maybe one more year into this rebuild I think it wouldn’t be as hard to say they’re closer to a playoff team than the Bills are. No joke.
Joe: Here’s my thing about the Sabres and it revolves around my favorite past time: PROSPECTS! As of now, there’s a lot of it tied up with the kiddies. And while Eichel seems like a sure thing, everyone else in the prospect pipeline is still a work in progress. I don’t wanna be a negative Nancy, but I’m the dumb ass who thought Tyler Myers was gonna be the next the next Pronger. I thought Tyler Ennis was a #1 center. Go look at what Jeremy White put out when Grigomania get drafted and how he acted like he was gonna be a first line center right away. You dont even wanna read my hot takes about Drew Stafford becoming a 30-goal scorer after his 31-goal season. Not to sound arbitrary, but Im scared to anoint these kids as being difference makers. Of course, if the Sabres start trading for guys who are NHL regulars or sign FAs, things can change. But I still feel they may be 2 years away.
Chris: Two years is probably a generous time line. They’ll be improved, but still bad this year and they’ll likely be okay the year after. So I think you’re looking at a three year window before things start turning around in a noticeable way. But if the Bills were to miss the playoffs this year and a couple of their weapons (on either side of the ball) move along, the chance for the Sabres to sneak in ahead of them is more than possible.
Joe: Its tough for us to discuss this now because July hasn’t come here yet for the Sabres. As I said, we could totally be in for an aggressive Sabres attack come July where they pay everyone and sell the kids for vets. Now, here’s where things could get interesting..long term..who has the best future in terms of going farther in the playoffs, Bills or Sabres?
Chris: I think the Sabres do without a doubt. The Bills are built for the present while the Sabres are built for now. The pipeline is well stocked and even if they hit on 1/3 of their prospects they’ll still have an impressive number of assets at the NHL level in the next few years.
Joe: But you have to admit if the Bills got a QB, they overtake the Sabres..easily. I mean, I’d trade Marcell Dareus for Rivers right now and I think they win 12 games. It feels the Sabres are more about hope while the Bills just need one more piece to really thrive.
Chris: I think you could easily argue that the Bills are selling hope at this point too. Sure, McCoy, Watkins, Harvin, Woods, Old School and Clay are nice weapons. And the defense is elite. But there’s still no QB and we’ve seen what no QB and a phenomenal defense gets you the last two seasons. Just a whole bunch of hope. That being said, there’s more to like about the Bills as of today. They have proven talent, while there are still many unknowns with the Sabres.
Joe: yeah, that’s the thing. The Bills have more proven players. They have something like 10 foremer pro bowlers on their team. The Sabres lone all-star is due in large part because Latvian citizens have nothing to do but vote Zemgus into all-star games. I think short term, you have to say the Bills, but long term..it could be the Sabres, but that’s basically about hope more so than substance. If the Bills actually got a top 12 QB, all bets would be off in my opinion and they’d flourish past the Sabres. Again, QB means more to your team than a franchise center.
Chris: My biggest concern is that the Bills window is far too small. Yes, a QB solves every one of their problems. But if they can’t nail one down and Mario and Kyle start to regress and McCoy hits a wall, things will melt down quickly. That’s the nature of the NFL though. It’s a little easier to track down replacements and reload whereas the NHL has trended heavily to drafting and developing. The short term expectations certainly lie with the Bills but the Sabres are set up better for long term success and I’m willing to bet that they wind up with more playoff appearances than the Bills between now and 2020.
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