The Buffalo Bills have been in Super Bowl contention for what feels like forever now. They have four straight division titles and multiple playoff wins in that span. But the Big Game has eluded them each year, and why is that exactly? Are the Chiefs just unbeatable or is there a deeper issue than meets the eye? What is their next move now with the departure of All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs? Let’s first understand the history of what some consider a cursed franchise.
The Bills are far from a storied franchise as they are in the bottom half of teams in the all-time wins column, but they have the most Super Bowl appearances for a team that has never once hoisted the Lombardi. Before the rise of quarterback Jim Kelly in 1986, the Bills had only made the playoffs three times post-merger with only one division title to show for it. The AFC East during that time was dominated by the Don Shula-led Miami Dolphins who had ten division titles from 1970-1985. Over the next few years, Buffalo would continue to add all-time talent like Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas, and Andre Reed. Creating the core that would make four straight Super Bowls from 1990-1993. Unfortunately, they would come up short in all four, creating the purgatory that Buffalo has been trapped in ever since.
After their Super Bowl shortcomings, Buffalo would only win one more division title before the turn of the century as their once dominant core would slowly fade into retirement. The turn of the new century would mark the beginning of some of the darkest days in the history of the franchise, a 17-year playoff drought from 2000-2016 that was plagued with bad coaching, poor quarterback play, terrible draft decisions, and nearly every good running back they ever had left. They would only surpass eight wins twice in 2004 and 2014, but they were only 9-7 which was not enough in a stacked AFC.
Everything would turn around for the franchise with the hire of head coach Sean McDermott before the 2017 season. McDermott built himself a pedigree as one of the best defensive coordinators of that time. Constructing the underrated Panthers defense of the early 2010s headlined by the likes of Luke Keuchly, Thomas Davis, and Josh Norman. Needless to say, upon McDermott’s arrival in upstate New York, there were some growing pains in his first year. The roster was in desperate need of tweaks on both sides of the ball, but McDermott managed to lead the Bills to a wild card spot, thus breaking the 17-year playoff drought. Buffalo turned things around in the draft, as in 2018 they would select their franchise cornerstone in Josh Allen finally hitting on a quarterback selection since Jim Kelly.
Things seemed to go backward for Buffalo, though, winning only six games in 2018. Josh Allen was shaky in moments but showed his upside with his unreal arm talent that we have all gotten used to seeing at this point. LeSean McCoy also regressed as he aged into the wrong side of 30, but the defense shined. They were second in the entire league in yards headlined by a wonderful secondary with Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde, and Tre’Davious White. Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds also showed a bunch of promise at the linebacker position. This was a team that just needed to add some weapons to become competitive, but it also hinged entirely on the development of Josh Allen. The next year, Buffalo would get back in the postseason with a 10-6 record and a wild card berth. Josh Allen showed why he was a top-10 pick in the draft, and the defense continued to flourish under McDermott’s tutelage. It was only a matter of time before Buffalo took over the league if they could just give Josh Allen some help.
With trouble brewing in Minneapolis, Stefon Diggs would hit the trade market. Buffalo would make the call and bring one of the best receivers in the league to the Bills for a boatload of picks. One of which became Justin Jefferson. It’s safe to say the Vikings are not missing much sleep over that trade. The Stefon Diggs trade marked the beginning of Buffalo’s reign of terror over the AFC East. When you add a top-10 receiver to a team with an up-and-coming QB and an elite defense, you get a powerhouse team. 2020 would be the best year of Josh Allen’s career, and Buffalo would obtain a 13-3 record. But they would run into the Kansas City Chiefs in the conference championship, a trend that would continue for the next four years. The Bills would lose to the Chiefs in the postseason three of the last four years, and the Bengals once in 2023. The problem in most scenarios is due to Buffalo completely abandoning the running game since the Diggs trade. It makes their offense completely one-dimensional, and in the slower pace of play of the playoffs, the quick-strike style of offense gave the opposition too many opportunities to score. Thus, the Bills' defense was on the field way longer than they should have if they wanted to win in the playoffs, over time the defense gets gassed and exploited. On offense, defenses would just rush three or four linemen and put everyone else back into pass coverage, forcing Josh Allen to improvise.
Now after constant playoff disappointment, Stefon Diggs is headed to the Houston Texans. In return, Buffalo will get a 2025 2nd-round pick. Currently, the receiver room for the Bills will likely feature Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir, and Mack Hollins as their main three options. Not to mention, Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox at tight end. Buffalo holds the 28th pick in the upcoming draft, and they would be foolish not to consider drafting a wideout in that spot. Players like Brain Thomas Jr. or Adonai Mitchell should be at the top of their radar, but the possibility of a trade-up for Buffalo suddenly becomes a very realistic option. Outside of the generational Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze are both incredible prospects that should each be top 10 picks at least. The asking price would be steep, but Buffalo has assets to deal with.
The AFC is wide open right now. Cincinnati, Kansas City, and New York are among Buffalo with question marks of their own. Teams like Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Miami, and Houston are on the rise. Plus, there could be some big-time improvements made by some of the lower-level AFC teams in the draft. If you are the Buffalo Bills in this scenario, you can not stand by and let the other teams in the AFC pass you or you will be left behind. The NFL is a fast-paced industry, as quickly as you can get to the top, you can fall to the bottom just as quickly.