Donahoe, I've supported you this far

[stevestojan]

And get a new kicker.

 

In all honesty, whoever we bring in cannot be worse.

 

When you have to PUNT instead of try a 50 yarder (and I think that was a good coaching move, simply because he would NOT have made it) its time to rethink why this guy is still on the team.

 

So that this isnt a crusade by me (ya know, being my second post about it) I want to make this more of a Tom Donahoe post. I am still holding in my anger about keeping Kevil Gilbride on staff after week 8 last year, but now is the time to do something. NOW. Not after he loses us one more game.

 

Lindell cost us 6 points. SIX. And for a team supposedly dedicated to smashmouth running the ball, clock control, etc, etc,... that is simply unacceptable.

 

Donahoe - now is your time to finally grow a set, and find someone.

 

There HAS to be an ex-Steeler kicker out there somewhere you can pick up!

 

Lindell - later.

[Thailog80]

I posted a while ago that he (Lindell) would cost us more games than he won us. I still stand firmly behind that belief.

[stevestojan]

I posted a while ago that he (Lindell) would cost us more games than he won us.  I still stand firmly behind that belief.

30546[/snapback]

 

 

I'll be back in a moment with a list of his game winning FGs...

[USMCBillsFan]

I don't think you're going to find too many fans disagreeing with you on this one. Lindell sucks.

[ExWNYer]

And get a new kicker.

 

In all honesty, whoever we bring in cannot be worse.

 

When you have to PUNT instead of try a 50 yarder (and I think that was a good coaching move, simply because he would NOT have made it) its time to rethink why this guy is still on the team.

 

So that this isnt a crusade by me (ya know, being my second post about it) I want to make this more of a Tom Donahoe post. I am still holding in my anger about keeping Kevil Gilbride on staff after week 8 last year, but now is the time to do something. NOW. Not after he loses us one more game.

 

Lindell cost us 6 points. SIX. And for a team supposedly dedicated to smashmouth running the ball, clock control, etc, etc,... that is simply unacceptable.

 

Donahoe - now is your time to finally grow a set, and find someone.

 

There HAS to be an ex-Steeler kicker out there somewhere you can pick up!

 

Lindell - later.

30542[/snapback]

 

Ya know, I'm not one to panic or overreact but I have to agree with you on this one. RL's missed FG changed the whole complexion of what the Bills did on both offense and defense. It took away some of their aggressivenes, IMHO. I was just talking about this with my brother after the game. Much of what we discussed is covered in this article (see below) by Jerry Sullivan. While I think Sullivan is a muckraking douchebag, he's actually dead-on in this instance (the rest of the article is his usual drivel).

Is Hollis ready yet? Something tells me that TD won't take the cap hit of releasing RL...I hope I'm wrong about that.

 

 

Article:

"When your objective is to win close, low-scoring football games - "small ball," in the current parlance - it helps to have a reliable kicker. The Bills have Rian Lindell, who might be the worst kicker in the NFL. Lindell's career field-goal percentage of 73.1 is the second-worst in the league among non-rookies. Only Arizona's Neil Rackers (67.5) is worse.

 

Since the start of the 2001 season, Lindell is the only NFL kicker who has coverted fewer than half his kicks from 40-49 yards. The better kickers make 70-75 percent from that range. It's a stressful, unforgiving profession. If you make a habit of missing from 42 yards, as Lindell did against the Jaguars, you won't last very long in the league.

 

Lindell's miss was a costly one. Had he made it, the Bills would have been up by seven in the final minute. They might have been more aggressive on defense during the Jags' final drive. It's not the first time Lindell has killed the Bills in a low-scoring home loss. He missed two field-goal tries in the 12-10 loss to the Texans last season.

 

So it was hardly a surprise when the coaches decided not to try a 50-yard field goal late in the game. They didn't trust their kicker in that situation, and you can't blame them."

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20040...?tbd1040737.asp

[ajzepp]

For whatever reason I thought he had a good year last year.....but after reading that stat in Sullivan's column, I was wrong......boot his ass!

[bostonbillsfan2008]

the only problem is, who do you sign--I mean the vikes and titans just signed 40+ year old kickers..

[appooOnU]

agree with Steve. In a league where defense generally have the upper hand and 4th Quarter games are the norm for every team, reliable kickers are essential.

 

Actually there's been a downturn for kickers in college and NFL. Now I don't trust anyone 's kicking game. Michigan is a perfect example.

[Justice]

I agree. Cut his a@@ quick. That guy sucks. I hate him. He's garbage. Excuse making baby. :I starred in Brokeback Mountain:

[bills_fan]

Steve Christie just signed with someone. I think we missed the boat on not signing him. So he can't make 55 yard kicks, neither can Lindell, strong leg or not. So Christie won't make a 50 yarder, ya know Christie would have made the 42 yarder.

[appooOnU]

Steve Christie just signed with someone.  I think we missed the boat on not signing him.  So he can't make 55 yard kicks, neither can Lindell,  strong leg or not.  So Christie won't make a 50 yarder, ya know Christie would have made the 42 yarder.

30606[/snapback]

 

he made a 53 yarder for the GMen didn't he? against the Iggles?

[Realist]

Ya know, I'm not one to panic or overreact but I have to agree with you on this one. RL's missed FG changed the whole complexion of what the Bills did on both offense and defense. It took away some of their aggressivenes, IMHO. I was just talking about this with my brother after the game. Much of what we discussed is covered in this article (see below) by Jerry Sullivan. While I think Sullivan is a muckraking douchebag, he's actually dead-on in this instance (the rest of the article is his usual drivel).

Is Hollis ready yet? Something tells me that TD won't take the cap hit of releasing RL...I hope I'm wrong about that.

Article:

"When your objective is to win close, low-scoring football games - "small ball," in the current parlance - it helps to have a reliable kicker. The Bills have Rian Lindell, who might be the worst kicker in the NFL. Lindell's career field-goal percentage of 73.1 is the second-worst in the league among non-rookies. Only Arizona's Neil Rackers (67.5) is worse.

 

Since the start of the 2001 season, Lindell is the only NFL kicker who has coverted fewer than half his kicks from 40-49 yards. The better kickers make 70-75 percent from that range. It's a stressful, unforgiving profession. If you make a habit of missing from 42 yards, as Lindell did against the Jaguars, you won't last very long in the league.

 

Lindell's miss was a costly one. Had he made it, the Bills would have been up by seven in the final minute. They might have been more aggressive on defense during the Jags' final drive. It's not the first time Lindell has killed the Bills in a low-scoring home loss. He missed two field-goal tries in the 12-10 loss to the Texans last season.

 

So it was hardly a surprise when the coaches decided not to try a 50-yard field goal late in the game. They didn't trust their kicker in that situation, and you can't blame them."

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20040...?tbd1040737.asp

30566[/snapback]

 

 

I didn't realize he was that bad! Ugh! Today is Tuesday, the day they bring in different people to try out. I only hope they have a couple of kickers in here today. I'm willing to give him until after next week's game, but if Lindell screws up anything inside 45 yards or the actually have game plan around him like last Sunday, he's gone and we bring in a guy on Monday that tried out TODAY!

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

I hate to do it.... but I am going to DEFEND Lindell here:

 

1) I admit he was awful last season. But he claims it was due to a bum shoulder. I believe him because he is healthy now and had a terrific pre-season (8/9 on FG's, I think).

 

2) He missed one FG on Sunday going into a tricky wind. Just one miss!! If he had been given a chance to hit that 50 yarder at the end and missed that too, then that's another story. But he wasn't given that chance.

 

As far as I am concerned, you don't cut a kicker because he missed his first FG of the year. While I think this puts RL on a short leash, we need to stick with him to see if he really has recovered from his injury and will kick better this year. I'm not a RL fan, but my gut feeling is that RL will redeem himself.

[Realist]

I hate to do it.... but I am going to DEFEND Lindell here:

 

1) I admit he was awful last season. But he claims it was due to a bum shoulder. I believe him because he is healthy now and had a terrific pre-season (8/9 on FG's, I think).

 

2) He missed one FG on Sunday going into a tricky wind. Just one miss!! If he had been given a chance to hit that 50 yarder at the end and missed that too, then that's another story. But he wasn't given that chance.

 

As far as I am concerned, you don't cut a kicker because he missed his first FG of the year. While I think this puts RL on a short leash, we need to stick with him to see if he really has recovered from his injury and will kick better this year. I'm not a RL fan, but my gut feeling is that RL will redeem himself.

30631[/snapback]

 

Thats why you bring in kickers today and give him Sunday's game to do better, including kickoffs.

[stevestojan]

I hate to do it.... but I am going to DEFEND Lindell here:

 

1) I admit he was awful last season. But he claims it was due to a bum shoulder. I believe him because he is healthy now and had a terrific pre-season (8/9 on FG's, I think).

 

2) He missed one FG on Sunday going into a tricky wind. Just one miss!! If he had been given a chance to hit that 50 yarder at the end and missed that too, then that's another story. But he wasn't given that chance.

 

As far as I am concerned, you don't cut a kicker because he missed his first FG of the year. While I think this puts RL on a short leash, we need to stick with him to see if he really has recovered from his injury and will kick better this year. I'm not a RL fan, but my gut feeling is that RL will redeem himself.

30631[/snapback]

 

 

remind me again which shoulder he kicks with?

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

Steve Christie just signed with someone.  I think we missed the boat on not signing him.  So he can't make 55 yard kicks, neither can Lindell,  strong leg or not.  So Christie won't make a 50 yarder, ya know Christie would have made the 42 yarder.

30606[/snapback]

 

 

Steve Christie? Who? That name sounds somewhat familar. Oh yeah, he was the guy TD cut back in 2001 when he said good kickers are a dime a dozen in this league.

[KOKBILLS]

I posted a while ago that he (Lindell) would cost us more games than he won us.  I still stand firmly behind that belief.

30546[/snapback]

 

Well...looks like you're one up on that prediction!

 

Plus lets not forget a Run 1st, Ball Control Offense requires your Kicker to be a Scoring weapon...Not a 50/50 proposition...

[stevestojan]

I'm willing to give him until after next week's game

30628[/snapback]

 

 

NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

This kind of talk is what makes us buffalo fans. "Maybe Next Year" "Just wait a few games, it'll turn around" "it was only one bad season".

 

I've heard this crap for Josh Reed, Bledsoe, etc, etc...

 

What happens next week, in what is sure to be a close game, when Lindell misses a game winning 40 yarder? THEN you bring someone else in?

 

F-CK THAT!

 

Get rid of him now.

 

You don't let that rabid pitbull back into your house that bit your kid; just to give him another chance. You take him out back and put a slug in his head.

[PastaJoe]

I've always wondered, wouldn't the best kicker in the CFL be better than the worst kickers in the NFL? Especially for a team like Buffalo that plays in bad weather. Anyone have some knowledge on that, and can an NFL team sign a CFL player who is currently playing?

[stevestojan]

I've always wondered, wouldn't the best kicker in the CFL be better than the worst kickers in the NFL?  Especially for a team like Buffalo that plays in bad weather.  Anyone have some knowledge on that, and can an NFL team sign a CFL player who is currently playing?

30653[/snapback]

 

very interesting point.

 

anyone? anyone follow the CFL?