What was Lindell supposed to do, lie??

[MikeInRoch]

Lindell is a professional. If he KNOWS that he cannot make a kick because of the wind, then should you have him lie to the coach and have him try it anyway?

Heck no. Anyone calling for his head is a moron.

[YardRat]

Thank you, Oh Voice of Reason. :clap:

[don137]

I have no problem with Lindell giving an honest answer...I have a problem with the Bills coaching staff not asking Lindell what yard line the Bills need to get to so he can make a kick/ If they did ask they surly did not act like they had to get there because they did not act like they were not close enough until it was too late...

[MikeInRoch]

I have no problem with Lindell giving an honest answer...I have a problem with the Bills coaching staff not asking Lindell what yard line the Bills need to get to so he can make a kick/ If they did ask they surly did not act like they had to get there because they did not act like they were not close enough until it was too late...

That I will not argue with.

[Cntrygal]

I have no problem with Lindell giving an honest answer...I have a problem with the Bills coaching staff not asking Lindell what yard line the Bills need to get to so he can make a kick/ If they did ask they surly did not act like they had to get there because they did not act like they were not close enough until it was too late...


ABSOLUTELY!

[Nighthawk]

I have no problem with Lindell giving an honest answer...I have a problem with the Bills coaching staff not asking Lindell what yard line the Bills need to get to so he can make a kick/ If they did ask they surly did not act like they had to get there because they did not act like they were not close enough until it was too late...

I agree, this isn't on Lindell, it's on the coaches who weren't prepared for the entire final drive. Not knowing what they are going to do on that last play until the very end is unacceptable.

[Forward_Lateral]

If Lindell felt as though he couldn't make it from there, he should've said something ahead of time, not at the last possible moment.

[SquishDaFish]

AT LEAST TRY FOR IT! He showed he has NO ... ZERO confidence in himself. Show some ******* HEART and TRY.

[YardRat]

I have no problem with Lindell giving an honest answer...I have a problem with the Bills coaching staff not asking Lindell what yard line the Bills need to get to so he can make a kick/ If they did ask they surly did not act like they had to get there because they did not act like they were not close enough until it was too late...

They didn't have to ask...they had already determined the twenty five was the limit at the end of the field during pre-game warm-ups. It was their 'marker'.

I give the staff credit for going against what they 'knew' on paper and giving Lindell the chance to possibly step up and over-achieve. I also give Lindell credit for understanding the conditions in the stadium and his capabilies well enough to realize he couldn't do it, and the team had a better chance of winning with his foot if they could get the first down and a little bit farther down field.

If someone wants to argue that the coaches screwed up by tossing aside the information they gathered during pre-game and shouldn't have even asked Lindell about the kick, fine...but I believe sometimes you have to at least try to go against what looks right on paper and see if the opportunity to succeed is available.

[patmoran2006]

If the yardline was the 25... and we had the ball second and six at the 29 yard line, with still a minute left..

Logic ****ing tells you to RUN THE BALL twice and try to get 5-7 more yards, short yards are A LOT more easy to come by on the ground than the air..

It was STUPID ****ing playcalling and nobody can say otherwise.

[MikeInRoch]

AT LEAST TRY FOR IT! He showed he has NO ... ZERO confidence in himself. Show some ******* HEART and TRY.

If he is NOT PHYSICALLY ABLE to kick it that far, then NO, do not try it.

It's not that it would be a low percentage shot. It's that it would be a ZERO percentage shot.

[odin]

Either way, they thought they had a better chance converting a 4th-5 which should't be that hard for a playoff team.

[losman420]

i miss steve christie

[Kelly The Dog]

Lindell did tell them. Before the game Lindell told Levy that his longest distance was 42 yards. It was in the paper this morning. The coaching staff went into the game already deciding that 42 yards was the furthest they were going to kick into the wind. Of course, during a game the winds can change, so they asked him and he basically said no, he couldn't make it. So they went for it.

The coaching mistake was not already having a play called for 4th and 5 and then running it to get the first down. Criticize them for that if you want, but not the FG decision. It was easily the right one. Not one punt in the entire game out of 5 traveled over 40 yards into that wind, and punts go further than FGs. After the first quarter, none of the last three KOs even went 40 yards into that wind, let alone go straight.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20061225/1056968.asp?tbd1056968.asp

[TacklingDummy]

Lindell is a professional. If he KNOWS that he cannot make a kick because of the wind, then should you have him lie to the coach and have him try it anyway?

Heck no. Anyone calling for his head is a moron.

All the Bills needed was 5 yards for a 1st down.

Was JPs throw at the end of the game effected by the wind? JP is suppose to have a rocket arm, if he can't throw the ball from the 30 yardline to the 5 yard line how was Lindell suppose to make a 45 yard field goal?

[PECKERWOOD]

Ridiculous.. Honesty is virtuous but you guys are giving him too much credit. Ever think about attempting to acquire a kicker with a strong leg who can make those difficult kicks? Why is it that nobody is speaking of this?

[PECKERWOOD]

All the Bills needed was 5 yards for a 1st down.

Was JPs throw at the end of the game effected by the wind? JP is suppose to have a rocket arm, if he can't throw the ball from the 30 yardline to the 5 yard line how was Lindell suppose to make a 45 yard field goal?

I was actually hoping that JP would have tried scrambling, atleast on the 3rd & 5 play.. He really needs to use his God given ability in his legs more often. If he were to do this more often, I feel his presence would be even more domineering than it already has been.

[MikeInRoch]

Ridiculous.. Honesty is virtuous but you guys are giving him too much credit. Ever think about attempting to acquire a kicker with a strong leg who can make those difficult kicks? Why is it that nobody is speaking of this?

Ever think that kickers with legs to kick it that far into the wind just don't exist?

[mybills]

I'm with you, Mike.
This thread is funny.

[TacklingDummy]

Ever think that kickers with legs to kick it that far into the wind just don't exist?

JP couldn't throw it 25 yards in that wind. How was Lindell suppose to kick it 40+ yards?

[MikeInRoch]

I'm with you, Mike.
This thread is funny.

I think it's sad that so many people want to run Lindell out of town. He's been a heck of a kicker for us for the past few years. If the fans drive him out, then they will get what they deserve.

[PECKERWOOD]

Ever think that kickers with legs to kick it that far into the wind just don't exist?

Ever hear of Adam Vinatieri? How about a previous Bills kicker Steve Christy? Even Nugent has the ability to make those type of kicks. If you don't think that there aren't any kickers out there that can make a 40+ yard FG in dire conditions, you must not be watching the same football as me.

[YardRat]

Lindell is just fine for our kicker.

I agree with whoever said the play-calling on second and third down could have been different, but can't fault the coaches for putting some amount of trust in JP's arm and the passing game in that situation.

If another kicker becomes available that has a stronger leg, is just as accurate, and costs the same or less I see no reason not to 'upgrade', but I certainly don't think it's any kind of a priority going into this off-season.

[MikeInRoch]

Ever hear of Adam Vinatieri? How about a previous Bills kicker Steve Christy? Even Nugent has the ability to make those type of kicks. If you don't think that there aren't any kickers out there that can make a 40+ yard FG in dire conditions, you must not be watching the same football as me.

In that wind in their faces? No, they cannot make that kick.

[PECKERWOOD]

In that wind in their faces? No, they cannot make that kick.

Okay, even though Vinatieri made a kick similar in the SNOW while SNOWING, that happened to push NE into the playoffs on their first SB run! Actually, those conditions were much worst than Buffalo's were.

Now don't get me wrong, I like Lindell.. But there is no question in my mind that there are some kickers in the NFL today, that would have made that kick.. It's just BS that he told the coaches that he couldn't make the kick, atleast go out there and try.. How much pressure are we going to put on JP's shoulders? Instead he is going to have to drive the ball an extra 10-15 yards each game because we have an 'honest' kicker? Give me a break.

[MikeInRoch]

Okay, even though Vinatieri made a kick similar in the SNOW while SNOWING, that happened to push NE into the playoffs on their first SB run! Actually, those conditions were much worst than Buffalo's were.

Now don't get me wrong, I like Lindell.. But there is no question in my mind that there are some kickers in the NFL today, that would have made that kick.. It's just BS that he told the coaches that he couldn't make the kick, atleast go out there and try.. How much pressure are we going to put on JP's shoulders? Instead he is going to have to drive the ball an extra 10-15 yards each game because we have an 'honest' kicker? Give me a break.

Was the wind against him in the snow game? Nope.

[Romes]

Okay, even though Vinatieri made a kick similar in the SNOW while SNOWING, that happened to push NE into the playoffs on their first SB run! Actually, those conditions were much worst than Buffalo's were.



No they weren't. Wind affects ball flight much more than snow does. Mike is right on this one.

[Night Train]

My prediction. Lindell would have kicked the ball straight and true, only to see it die 10 yards before the goal posts. I was there and the wind was at it's worst during that time.

Fairchilds' lack of confidence in the running game on 3rd and 1 forced an even worse panic attack on 4th down after the previously failed pass play.

[Yasgur's Farm]

Some of you people need to be realistic... The strongest leg in the league wouldn't have gone the distance. Did you all see the video of the Titans 41 yard FG? It fell straight down after it hit the wall of wind. Unfortunately it was 2 inches over the crossbar. That was a kicker who nailed a 60 yarder earlier in the year. And you think Lindell could have hit from 5 yards further out?

[Night Train]

Ever hear of Adam Vinatieri? How about a previous Bills kicker Steve Christy? Even Nugent has the ability to make those type of kicks. If you don't think that there aren't any kickers out there that can make a 40+ yard FG in dire conditions, you must not be watching the same football as me.

The Titans kicker had a 41 yarder clear the bar by 2 inches earlier. Fast forward to a stronger wind and longer FG attempt for Lindell at that time.

This is about the weather conditions at the moment. Not the history of NFL kickers.

[Historian]

Ever think that kickers with legs to kick it that far into the wind just don't exist?

I gotta agree with Mike here.

The winds in that stadium have made some pro bowl calibre kickers look like amateurs.

David Treadwell immediately comes to mind:

If he makes both the FGs he missed in the 1992 AFC Championship Game, Denver advances to Super Bowl XXVI and plays the Redskins.