Making the playoffs helps keep this team in Buffalo.
As everyone knows when Ralph moves on to that big tailgate party in the sky our beloved Buffalo Bills will be for sale. Yeah there are rumors of Jim Kelly and his "silent partners", but in the end whoever puts up the most cash will take over the team. I personally don't think the Buffalo Bills are going to be moved to another city after sale.
With that being said if Nix has built a team that is going to break our streak of seasons without a playoff appearance in 2012 (and hopefully 2013, 2014, 2015....) it will only boost ticket sales, merchandise sales, national attention, fanbase, etc. Which all equates to mucho dinero for a new owner. Why would you want to move a team that is making $$$? So making the playoffs not only this year, but next year and beyond is great for us fans, the city of Buffalo, and the fate of the Buffalo Bills. Here's to a solid peformance in 2012 and a playoff berth.
"Starting today the Buffalo Sabres reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup." -Terry Pegula (Feb. 22, 2011)