If the OL would have been better in the Texan game who knows where we are today. Would EJ have been benched? Would the Bills have made the playoffs? Would Marrone still be here?

Still need a QB but if there isn't an OL in front of him nothing is going to matter
- Stripes77

They averaged over 4 yards a carry.

Gave up on the run way too early IMO
http://scores.espn.go.com...ivechart?gameId=400554212

On the Wild...

According to a few NHL sources the Minnesota Wild are "growing more and more intrigued and interested" by Jonas Enroth. I am a big Enroth supporter and agree he would be a great fit in Minnesota. He doesn't lose you games and won't let in many bad goals...but what's more he keeps his team close and can have spectacular moments....

Per Ek...
His source must be Garth.

so many chances too

none recently though




I can't comment really on teams in the 70's

If the 79-80 team beats the islanders, they could have won one.
The 80-81 team laid an egg in the second rd vs the stars, great team.
The 82-83 team was peaking at the right time, til park fires a slapper in ot of game 7 in second rd, still biggest pain I felt as a sabres fan.
The 92-93 team will always be the what if team.
1996-01, who the hell knows.
The 2 years after the lockout.

11 legit chances since 79-80


The joy of a Buffalo fan
- homiedclown

Can't really speak for anything before the post lockout team but i don't know if you can call all of them legit chances.

They're chances in the sense that you could say "what if" and "if only" but the examples listed above really just sound like we were good but not good enough/but they were better. Only one that really stands out is 82-83

It beats the "Postseason Participant" banner Nashville has (or at least had at one point) hanging up in its rafters.
- buffalofan19

They averaged over 4 yards a carry.

Gave up on the run way too early IMO
http://scores.espn.go.com...ivechart?gameId=400554212
- homiedclown

If your d is your strength, slowing the game down and pounding the trenches would seem like a logical approach.

But I'm pretty football ignorant.

They averaged over 4 yards a carry.

Gave up on the run way too early IMO
http://scores.espn.go.com...ivechart?gameId=400554212
- homiedclown

Agreed, instead of letting JJ Watt dominate the game run the ball away from him...

But I think that's other issue. Assuming the o line and running are attainable goals, (and I'm not claiming they are or aren't) could you say that what the bills have or the options they have is "average" qb play. Are we talking average strictly in terms of numbers or average as in "league average".

I can see why it's easy to get excited about the hire but imo it reminds me all too much of the 2011 sabres. Did basically everything to get the fanbase excited except address the core issue at centre.
- Sabresfan-365

All this team needs is a descent o line
RB's to be in the top ten overall

QB play around 3,000 yards with around 64% passing, and few turnovers

Agreed, instead of letting JJ Watt dominate the game run the ball away from him...
- Stripes77

coaching


we got an upgrade this offseason IMO

On the Wild...

According to a few NHL sources the Minnesota Wild are "growing more and more intrigued and interested" by Jonas Enroth. I am a big Enroth supporter and agree he would be a great fit in Minnesota. He doesn't lose you games and won't let in many bad goals...but what's more he keeps his team close and can have spectacular moments....

Per Ek...
His source must be Garth.
- jochfr

Minnesota trying to get the band back together?

Can't really speak for anything before the post lockout team but i don't know if you can call all of them legit chances.

They're chances in the sense that you could say "what if" and "if only" but the examples listed above really just sound like we were good but not good enough/but they were better. Only one that really stands out is 82-83
- Sabresfan-365

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...of_Buffalo_Sabres_seasons

the 79-80, 80-81 and 82-83 teams were really good
the 83-84 and 84-85 got owned by quebec in post season, but were great in regular season.
during that era, the adams division was probably the best top to bottom in the nhl

Any time you have dom in net, you can win any series during those years. The team that lost to the pens in game 7 was better then the team that lost to the stars IMO.

All this team needs is a descent o line
RB's to be in the top ten overall

QB play around 3,000 yards with around 64% passing, and few turnovers
- homiedclown

There's a significant gap between that and where they are now

Their best guy for yds per game was at 37.5. #10 overall was 70.2

Their best guy for total yds this season was at 525. #10 overall was 1,099

Worst of all, had to click on to the next page to find the bills leader in rushing TD's.


I don't really see how they can fix that in one off-season, especially without a 1st.

On the Wild...

According to a few NHL sources the Minnesota Wild are "growing more and more intrigued and interested" by Jonas Enroth. I am a big Enroth supporter and agree he would be a great fit in Minnesota. He doesn't lose you games and won't let in many bad goals...but what's more he keeps his team close and can have spectacular moments....

Per Ek...
His source must be Garth.
- jochfr

I don't buy the Wild's statements that they won't sacrifice the future to upgrade in goal. How could they not? They are a veteran roster that is built to win now (or maybe 2 years ago).

That said... Ek reported it.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/f...lls-but-in-the-worst-way/
- Sabresfan-365

hater...he's seems like a trend-follower....you know, the trend now is all about an innovative passing attack and a chip Kelly-type fast-paced game...

"But the NFL isn’t a vacuum. It’s a passing league"

but the game of football is, mostly, won in the trenches, especially without a franchise qb...

the seahawks are a testament to that, right john fox and peyton manning?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Buffalo_Sabres_seasons

the 79-80, 80-81 and 82-83 teams were really good
the 83-84 and 84-85 got owned by quebec in post season, but were great in regular season.
during that era, the adams division was probably the best top to bottom in the nhl

Any time you have dom in net, you can win any series during those years. The team that lost to the pens in game 7 was better then the team that lost to the stars IMO.
- homiedclown

not sure you can leave off the two post lockout years.. more notably the jay mckee incident

There's a significant gap between that and where they are now

Their best guy for yds per game was at 37.5. #10 overall was 70.2

Their best guy for total yds this season was at 525. #10 overall was 1,099

Worst of all, had to click on to the next page to find the bills leader in rushing TD's.


I don't really see how they can fix that in one off-season, especially without a 1st.
- Sabresfan-365

move woods to guard
draft a center with the second rd pick
draft a TE with third rd pick

get a real o line coach, which ryan will have

If your d is your strength, slowing the game down and pounding the trenches would seem like a logical approach.

But I'm pretty football ignorant.
- nfph

I luv you, man

Any time you have dom in net, you can win any series during those years. The team that lost to the pens in game 7 was better then the team that lost to the stars IMO.
- homiedclown

It looked like he barely tried to make that save in OT on Kasparaitis's shot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Buffalo_Sabres_seasons

the 79-80, 80-81 and 82-83 teams were really good
the 83-84 and 84-85 got owned by quebec in post season, but were great in regular season.
during that era, the adams division was probably the best top to bottom in the nhl

Any time you have dom in net, you can win any series during those years. The team that lost to the pens in game 7 was better then the team that lost to the stars IMO.
- homiedclown

Yea but each time it sounds like they got beat by a team that was just that little bit better than they were. It sucks but that's the nature of the game, with only 1 winner, year after year plenty of very good teams miss out on the prize.

not sure you can leave off the two post lockout years.. more notably the jay mckee incident
- IndianaSabresFan

I think the ducks would have blown the sabres out.
They would have probably beaten the oilers though.

I think the ducks would have blown the sabres out.
They would have probably beaten the oilers though.
- homiedclown

the only reason the oiler series may have been a series is because buffalo would have still had a depleted defense.. but yes they probably lose to the ducks

move woods to guard
draft a center with the second rd pick
draft a TE with third rd pick

get a real o line coach, which ryan will have
- homiedclown

They'd have to hit it big on both, it's not like they're knocking on the doorstep of top 10 running, they're a ways away.

There's a significant gap between that and where they are now

Their best guy for yds per game was at 37.5. #10 overall was 70.2

Their best guy for total yds this season was at 525. #10 overall was 1,099

Worst of all, had to click on to the next page to find the bills leader in rushing TD's.


I don't really see how they can fix that in one off-season, especially without a 1st.
- Sabresfan-365

Same RB's that went off 2 years ago. The team needs to fix the OL and have a play caller that knows how to get his RB's in space. Roman knows how to do that.

In fact the team was 6th in 2012 and 2nd in 2013. The OL killed them this year

move woods to guard
draft a center with the second rd pick
draft a TE with third rd pick

get a real o line coach, which ryan will have
- homiedclown

there's a real good crop of free agent tight ends this year...names include Julius Thomas, Jordan Cameron, Jermaine Gresham, niles paul


2015 is an extremely strong free agent market

Yea but each time it sounds like they got beat by a team that was just that little bit better than they were. It sucks but that's the nature of the game, with only 1 winner, year after year plenty of very good teams miss out on the prize.
- Sabresfan-365

and alot of times a team that isn't the best or even top 3, wins it all because of how the match ups fall..

It looked like he barely tried to make that save in OT on Kasparaitis's shot.
- kingcong39

When Mario scored with a minute left in game 6 to force ot, and the pens went on to win it. I sensed it was over.