Radio appearances
Tags: Bills Radio Network, Pete Metzelaars, Rian Lindell
New tight ends coach Pete Metzelaars and newly re-signed kicker Rian Lindell will both be on the radio airwaves Wednesday morning. Here’s where you can find them.
Pete Metzelaars – Fan 590 (Toronto); Greg Brady and Jim Lang @ 7:40 am (listen online)
Rian Lindell – WGR Sportsradio 550; Howard Simon show @ 9:30 am (listen online)
You can also listen to the Bills new flagship station (WGR Sportsradio 550) on the Bills mobile app.
Lindell 1-on-1
Here is our exclusive 1-on-1 interview with Rian Lindell just minutes after he signed his new multi-year contract with the Bills late Tuesday morning.
Lindell a lock for all-time scorer
Bills kicker Rian Lindell has a brand new contract as he re-upped with Buffalo Tuesday. He also now stands a good chance of setting a brand new franchise record.
With 878 points in a Bills uniform Lindell is in striking distance of Steve Christie’s franchise scoring record of 1,011 points. Not counting this past season in which he played in just eight games, Lindell has averaged almost 102 points a season (101.75) over the last eight years. Just 133 points behind Christie, if Lindell stays healthy he should pass Christie for first place on the all-time scoring list come the middle of the 2013 season.
Lindell already holds the team record for career FG percentage (82.93%), consecutive PATs (225), single-season field goal percentage (92%, 2006) and consecutive field goals made (18).
Rayner could make things tough
By the time the season is over Dave Rayner will have spent half a season with the Bills, giving him a lengthy opportunity to convince the coaching staff that he’s deserving of consideration to be the team’s kicker beyond the 2011 season.
Head coach Chan Gailey admitted between Rayner and reliable veteran Rian Lindell it won’t be an easy call.
“I think any guy that comes in whether it’s a tight end that we signed here late or an offensive lineman like last year when we got Kraig Urbik and Erik Pears, they worked their way into getting invited back for the next year and trying to get them back as a part of the team,” Gailey told Buffalobills.com. ”Dave has done a good job and we do have a tough decision to make. Buddy (Nix) and I will sit down at the end of the year when it’s all said and done and look at the direction we need to go with that position as well as all the other positions.”
Both Rayner and Lindell are unrestricted free agents after this season. Lindell is the most accurate kicker in team history.
Lindell likely out another week
Bills kicker Rian Lindell did not practice on Thursday after being limited in practice Wednesday. Bills head coach Chan Gailey addressed Lindell’s availability for Sunday.
“We’ll probably hold him one more week and just let it heal, give it a few more days,” said Gailey.
That means that Dave Rayner will kick for a fourth straight game. If he successfully hits an attempt from 50 yards or more this week, he’ll be the first kicker in team history to hit kicks from 50 yards or more in three straight games.
Lindell at practice
Tags: Rian Lindell
Three weeks removed from a shoulder injury kicker Rian Lindell is dressed for practice.
Dave Rayner is still taking on primary kicking duties at practice, but it appears that Lindell may at least see what he’s capable of in practice.
Lindell unlikely to return
Kicker Dave Rayner filled in for Rian Lindell last Sunday and it sounds likely that he’ll do so again this week at Miami.
When asked if Lindell would be down a second straight week with a broken shoulder bone head coach Chan Gailey gave indication that he would be.
“I would say yes, but I’m not sure,” Gailey said. ”But I’d say yes.”
Lindell was injured in Buffalo’s Week 9 loss to the Jets when he made a touchdown-saving tackle on Joe McKnight on a kick return. The prognosis on Lindell’s return was 2-6 weeks.
Lindell week to week
Tags: Rian Lindell
Bills head coach Chan Gailey labeled Rian Lindell as week to week after breaking a bone in his shoulder last Sunday.
Gailey said they’re fine carrying a couple of kickers on the roster for a while. He also said that Lindell has a chance to be back before the season is over.
Report: Rayner signs with Bills
According to the agent for veteran kicker Dave Rayner, he has signed with the Bills following tryouts held at One Bills Drive today.
@ProStarSportsPaul Sheehy – Congrats to DAVE RAYNER on signing with the #Bills with RIAN LINDELL out with a shoulder injury. One ProStar guy stepping in for another.
No official word from the team on any signings at this point.
Moorman unlikely to kick off
Bills punter Brian Moorman stepped in last Sunday to kick off with Rian Lindell unable to kick long following his shoulder injury against the Jets. Moorman has kicked off in the past, but head coach Chan Gailey is leaning against that moving forward.
“I would rather not go that direction because what I have found and what other people have found is that when you ask a guy to do two things it sort of messes up the one thing he does best,” Gailey said. ”At least he doesn’t get to spend as much time on it. I would rather not, but he certainly did a good job when he was asked to step in and I think he would have no problem doing it, but if we do have to sign a kicker, hopefully we can find one that does a good job kicking off as well.”
Moorman handled kickoff duties with the Bills in 2002 when Mike Hollis was the team’s placekicker. Buffalo is have tryouts to find a replacement kicker for the injured Lindell today (Tuesday).
Kickers by the percentages
Tags: Rian Lindell
There are probably more replacement kicker candidates out there available to the Bills, who will hold private workouts Tuesday to find a replacement for the injured Rian Lindell. But here are the career FG kicking percentages for some of the more notable vets out there.
Kris Brown – age 34 – career FG %age – 77.3%
Shayne Graham – age 33 – career FG %age – 86%
Dave Rayner – age 29 – career FG %age – 73.3%
Jeff Reed – age 32 – career FG %age – 82%
Lindell shoulder injury confirmed
Bills K Rian Lindell has a shoulder injury suffered after making a tackle on kick coverage. Head coach Chan Gailey had an update postgame.
“It was his shoulder,” said Gailey. ”We’re getting more information on that as we speak.”
When asked if Lindell was unable to take kickoffs and long field goals after the injury Gailey confirmed that he was. Brian Moorman took a copule of kickoffs for the Bills.
Competition for specialists
Last year there was no competition in camp for the likes of veterans Rian Lindell and Brian Moorman or young long snapper Garrison Sanborn. That won’t be the case in this training camp.
The Bills have signed an undrafted rookie for each of those positions, LS Danny Aiken, K Chris Hazley and P Reid Forrest. The most impressive of the three is probably Forrest, who had a heck of a career at Washington State. For more on this group of newcomers you can check the home page at Buffalobills.com.
Moorman, Lindell working out too
A host of Bills players will reportedly be in town next week as they’ve set up their own team workout regimen, but Buffalo’s long time punter and kicker have been in the Buffalo area working out all along.
Appearing on Morning Bull on 103.3 The Edge, Brian Moorman explained what he and Rian Lindell have been up to thus far this offseason.
“There are a couple of fields that we go to locally and one of the local high schools lets us go out there and we go in between classes because it’s a multi-purpose field and they’ve got lacrosse and everything going on,” Moorman told Morning Bull. ”That’s our routine right now. It’s frustrating. I’d rather go up to the stadium and work, but there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Moorman also mentioned how Bills players have their offseason workout regimens so they know what they’re supposed to be doing this time in the offseason.
“We have our workout books and we’re following what we’re supposed to be doing,” he said.
Stevie on icing kicker
The timeout right before the snap of the Bills 53-yard game winner in overtime, forced Rian Lindell to take a second attempt and we all know what happened (hit the upright). The question is what should be done with the coach’s ability to try to mess with the kicker?
Bills WR Steve Johnson was asked if he thought the rule is “cheesy” (I didn’t ask the question). Here was Stevie’s response.
“I can’t say it is because both teams are allowed to do it,” said Johnson. ”I can’t say we should wipe that rule out. If it was biased toward any one team than yeah, but both teams can do it and we did it to them and he ended up making his in the end. It’s fair for both teams.”
Johnson is right, Chan Gailey employed the same strategy against Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop, and it can be argued whether it worked or not as Succop pulled a 39-yard attempt wide left.
Personally I’m not a fan of the timeout to ice the kicker. Even Gailey said it’s just a mind game you’re playing. I’d like to think the league is bigger than those kinds of tactics.
Pro Bowl voting ends Monday
Tags: Brian Moorman, Jairus Byrd, Pro Bowl, Rian Lindell
Fan voting ends Monday for the Pro Bowl. So make sure you cast your votes for Jairus Byrd, Brian Moorman, Rian Lindell and any other Bills you feel are worthy by going to NFL.com now!
Bills kick game specialists roughing it
Anyone that holds to the old football adage that kickers and punters aren’t real football players need only see what Brian Moorman and Rian Lindell did for practice Thursday.
With high wind advisories and blowing and drifting snow whipping through Western New York last night and today, the Bills practiced inside as there was little they would accomplish in 30-40 mph winds and a foot of snow on the ground. But while the offense and defense practiced inside, Moorman and Lindell went with long snapper Garrison Sanborn out to the grass field, which was adrift with snow and driving winds.
Lindell peeked out the door of the Bills fieldhouse and said, “Oh it’s not that bad.”
To which Moorman replied, “Yeah but you don’t have to sit in it.”
Moorman was referring to his duties as Lindell’s holder. Moorman sits down on one leg for field goal holds, which he was going to be doing in the snow.
Special teams coordinator Bobby April accompanied his specialists out in the elements.
The forecast for Kansas City this weekend is cold, but snow is not expected.
Lindell kickoffs helping too
In today’s top story on Buffalobills.com we took a look at how special teams has had a sharp spike in production the last two weeks, not coincidentally two Buffalo wins. One additional note that should be mentioned with the improvements is Rian Lindell’s kickoffs.
As Lindell has gotten older his kickoffs have gotten better. The most touchbacks on kickoffs that Lindell has ever had in a season is 10, which he accomplished last season.
Lindell has five already this season through seven games, including three in the last two games. He’s on pace to better his best single season touchback total. More importantly it’s helping to keep the kick return average of Buffalo’s opponents down.
“He’s got five touchbacks and the most he’s ever had is 10,” said Bobby April. ”We’re close to the midway point and if he keeps going he’ll be in good shape. His touchbacks have improved. As he’s getting older he’s getting more (of them). He’s kicking better too with pretty decent hang.”
Lindell moves up Bills points chart
Rian Lindell had eight points in Sunday’s win over Carolina moving him into some exclusive territory on the Bills all-time scoring list.
The Bills kicker now has 674 points in a Bills uniform putting him in sole possession of second place on the team’s all-time list behind all-time leading scorer Steve Christie (1,011).
Lindell moved past Scott Norwood (670).
This week’s Bills Insider
Tags: Rian Lindell
This week’s Bills Insider blog was turned in by K Rian Lindell.
Lindell talks Bills, baseball, and how being a pro athlete impacts him as a sports fan.
