Kicker Coddling

[Turf]

Has any kicker in the history of the Bills been as coddled as Lindell? We don't let him miss outside of 48 yards, because we don't dare try, BECAUSE THE COACHING STAFF KNOWS HE ISN'T GOING TO MAKE IT!
And as Dan Akroyd once said playing Bob Doyle, you know, I know, the American people know....
Why, for the love of God, does the Bills management compromise the team for this guy?
Every team in the league tries 48+ yard FG's.
Not us. We try them but call time outs right before the kick.

What is wrong with this picture?

[mush69]

Ryan "Limpleg" Lindell needs to go!

[Dozerdog]

Kicker coddling?

Have I missed something or have we punted inside the 35 this year instead of a FG try? I don't think we have tried 48 yard FGs because...ummm... we have been able to get closer?

Granted if Lindell can't hit a 28 yard FG then he's got to go. But can someone please tell me when we have punted in or around the 35 yard line instesd of trying a FG?

35 yard line = 52 yd FG


Please- name one game situation this season.

Thanks

[buffalofan19]

My cousin was telling me that there was an article in the Buffalo News where Lindell was griping about how he has not been able to come in to win games for the Bills. Has anyone else read it? If this is so, Lindell looks even more stupid, and definitely deserves to be cut.

[mush69]

My cousin was telling me that there was an article in the Buffalo News where Lindell was griping about how he has not been able to come in to win games for the Bills. Has anyone else read it? If this is so, Lindell looks even more stupid, and definitely deserves to be cut.

Eb said something pertaining to this during the tailgate!, Personally I think this was the whole turning point of the game. Limpleg should have never gotten on the field. We were moving the ball with sucess and we had just 1 yard to go. Should have ran the ball for the first! I said to my pal and the others around me just as soon as I saw Limpleg coming on that this is the turning point, well before he missed it!

[Turf]

Kicker coddling?

Have I missed something or have we punted inside the 35 this year instead of a FG try? I don't think we have tried 48 yard FGs because...ummm... we have been able to get closer?

Granted if Lindell can't hit a 28 yard FG then he's got to go. But can someone please tell me when we have punted in or around the 35 yard line instesd of trying a FG?

35 yard line = 52 yd FG


Please- name one game situation this season.

Thanks

Name one?

I thought you watched the games too. C'mon. I'm not a Tivo machine.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Personally I don't think Lindell is cream of the crop by any means, but I think historically we've given up on kickers too much too early. We fired Norwood for one miss, an important one yes, but a very long one too. We fired Shayne Grahams after only a few games, and now he's the man in Cincy. I think Christie and Hollis still had some left in their tanks, and we let them walk.

In this day and age there aren't very many Morten or Gary Anderson's of the world anymore. If you're a kicker you better be dead on all the time or you're done. If I remember correctly, Indy's Vanderjagt had missed a pretty important FG last season too, wasn't it in the playoffs? Or was it during the season? Didn't he miss the game tying FG or something? He's still around.

Give Lindell a break. He's been consistent all year.

[helmetguy]

Actually, Norwood played another year in Buffalo after SB XXV. He became expendable when Christie became available.

[Dozerdog]

Name one?

I thought you watched the games too. C'mon. I'm not a Tivo machine.
-
So you are telling me we punt all the time, or consistently go for it on 4th and whatever every time between the 35 and 30 yard lines just so we don't attempt a FG?


Has any kicker in the history of the Bills been as coddled as Lindell? We don't let him miss outside of 48 yards, because we don't dare try, BECAUSE THE COACHING STAFF KNOWS HE ISN'T GOING TO MAKE IT!

I know we are all frustrated over a clown who can't make a 28 yard FG- but you got to admit this is a flagrantly untrue and ridiculous statement. But if you are going to toss out such a silly accusation, then yes- I'll ask you to back it up with an instance when they would do such a thing.

I've watched all the games. I don't recall any 4th and 3's from the 31 that we punted on (Like the New England Game in 2002) because we were "coddling thre kicker".

[Dozerdog]

Personally I don't think Lindell is cream of the crop by any means, but I think historically we've given up on kickers too much too early. We fired Norwood for one miss, an important one yes, but a very long one too. We fired Shayne Grahams after only a few games, and now he's the man in Cincy. I think Christie and Hollis still had some left in their tanks, and we let them walk.

In this day and age there aren't very many Morten or Gary Anderson's of the world anymore. If you're a kicker you better be dead on all the time or you're done. If I remember correctly, Indy's Vanderjagt had missed a pretty important FG last season too, wasn't it in the playoffs? Or was it during the season? Didn't he miss the game tying FG or something? He's still around.

Give Lindell a break. He's been consistent all year.


Actually, Norwood played another year in Buffalo after SB XXV. He became expendable when Christie became available.


We kept him for another year- and in 1992 he was horrible. One game comes to mind vs. The LA Raiders on the road. The Raiders went up by a couple of scores but Kelly had a great game and lead a late comeback and forced overtime. Al Edwards had a kickoff return for a TD in that as well. The game never should have gone to OT because Norwood missed a chip shot FG as well as an extra point (Maybe even two-) - I remember the announcer- Don Criqui- making a few jokes about it.

The Bills did win in OT, but Norwood was a marked man after that.

[Jan Reimers]

I guess it is just human nature to always single out one guy for all, or most, of the blame - or the credit. Lindell, after a solid year, certainly played a part in Sunday's loss.

But if you are going to cut him - and Blesoe - you should also axe Moulds, Reed, Clements, McGee, Denney, Fletcher, Milloy, Vincent and a few others who got burned, committed a stupid penalty, dropped a ball or somehow failed to execute in any one of several game altering situations.

I believe some of you are truly convinced that Norwood lost SB XXV all by himself.

[Typ0]

I would rather we took a chance on a kicker who had a better leg for kickoffs than see Lindell come back another season here. I don't see where he had a very good season. His percentage was decent, but it's also true we don't consider some of the longer tries because we know it's outside his range. But what I can't fathom is why people so quickly overlook how atrocious his kickoffs are. Not only are his kicks short they are also low allowing good returns. Far too many times opposing teams are getting beyond their 30 to start their drives. Over the course of the season...those are hundreds of yards of field position lost because of a kicker.

[Iehoshua]

Give Lindell a break. He's been consistent all year.

Negative. When kickers miss in key situations, they deserve no breaks. He should be gone. Period.

[helmetguy]

If our kick coverage sucked, I'd be concerned about a dearth of touchbacks on kickoffs, too. However, our coverage unit has become one of the best in the league. As such, I'd prefer that the receiving team take the risk of having to run the ball back than to just cede them the 20. You don't get take aways from touchbacks, do you?

[Iehoshua]

If our kick coverage sucked, I'd be concerned about a dearth of touchbacks on kickoffs, too. However, our coverage unit has become one of the best in the league. As such, I'd prefer that the receiving team take the risk of having to run the ball back than to just cede them the 20. You don't get take aways from touchbacks, do you?
Good point, however you also run the risk of teams starting at the 40 yard line or beyond, which did happen often due to short kickoffs as well.

Kickoffs aside, Lindell should be gone due to kicking field goals alone.

[Mr. Miyagi]

Negative. When kickers miss in key situations, they deserve no breaks. He should be gone. Period.
Indy kept Vanderjagt. New Orleans kept Carney. Just a couple kickers I can remember missing game winning FGs. They're still around.

[Gunzlingr]

Whatever happened to Martin Gramatica after he was cut by the bucs?

[Iehoshua]

Whatever happened to Martin Gramatica after he was cut by the bucs?
He was doing kickoffs for Indy...

[Iehoshua]

Indy kept Vanderjagt. New Orleans kept Carney. Just a couple kickers I can remember missing game winning FGs. They're still around.

Okay let me ask you this; Who would you rather have kicking a potential game winning/tying field goal? Lindell or Carney? Lindell or Vanderjagt?

While Carney and Vanderjagt may have missed a crucial kick, it's a rarity for them to miss. With Lindell, it's a rarity for him to be clutch.

[Iehoshua]

Career % fg made -
Lindell: 76.2%
Vanderjagt: 87%
Carney: 81.5%

This season kicks between 20-29yds:
Lindell 13-14
Vanderjagt: 6-6
Carney 3-3

This season kicks between 30-39yds:
Lindell: 10-11
Vanderjagt: 9-11
Carney: 12-15

This season between 40-49yds:
Lindell: 1-3
Vanderjagt: 5-7
Carney: 5-6

This season 50+:
Lindell: 0-0
Vanderjagt: 0-1
Carney: 2-3
____________________

Lindell is clearly not as good in his career numbers as Vanderjagt or Carney. Lindell is also pretty much useless at kicks beyond 39 yards.

You still want him?

[Turf]

I just looked up these stats. He never tried a kick over 50 yards, and I'd venture to say he tried only one over 45. So yeah, outside the 32 yard line they gave up on kicking a FG.

[Iehoshua]

I just looked up these stats. He never tried a kick over 50 yards, and I'd venture to say he tried only one over 45. So yeah, outside the 32 yard line they gave up on kicking a FG.

Since he was 1-3 on 40-49yd kicks, I'd venture to guess the coaches were confident he would be incapable of making anything longer, so never bothered to waste a try...