Doug Whaley has said that the Buffalo Bills are targeting a place in the playoffs in 2014.

The franchise has finished bottom of the AFC East for the last six seasons, and has not reached the post-season since 1999.

However, the general manager told the Bills' website: "We haven't been in the playoffs in a long time and we owe it to the fans, our late Hall of Fame owner and everybody in this business to show that we're not the Bills anymore. We want to be a playoff team. We're planning to be a playoff team and that's our goal.

"I believe that [quarterback EJ Manuel] has to take a step. Now, a big step, that depends on your categorisation of big. I would say take care of the ball and, the one thing he did last year that he needs to do this year, is to come through and make the players. He did that last year.

"He doesn't have to feel the weight of the world on his shoulders and he has to go out and win. We've surrounded him with some people where, if he does his job, we should be okay."

In the last three years, the Bills have finished with 6-10 records.