NFL
Lindell marks 100th game in win over Packers
by MATT KRUEGER Reporter

Buffalo defensive end Aaron Schobel brings down Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre on a second quarter sack during the Bills' 24-10 win over the Packers Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Photo by Patrick McPartland

Buffalo Bills kicker Rian Lindell passed the century mark in his football career Sunday and so few people knew about it, even he didn't realize it until the game was over.

Lindell, as he has been so often for the Bills over the past two seasons, was perfect in Buffalo's 24-10 win over Green Bay. It was his 100th game in the NFL.

But even the sure-footed Lindell didn't know he had hit that milestone until told about it in the locker room after the game.

"I didn't even know that," Lindell said in the locker room as the Bills soaked in a much-needed win. "Yeah, that's pretty cool. I guess I knew it was going to come up this year at the beginning. Certainly if you would have told me that five or six years ago, I might not have believed it. That's pretty cool, not many people get to do that."

And Lindell isn't just hanging around. He's been one of the biggest contributors on the struggling Bills team and has quietly become one of the best kickers in the league.

Since the beginning of the 2005 season, Lindell has been the most accurate field goal kicker from beyond 40 yards. He's nailed 16 of 20 attempts, including a 5 for 5 mark from beyond 50 yards.

Sunday, Lindell drilled a 28-yarder straight down the middle through the uprights and added three PATs. For the season, Lindell is 11 of 12 in field goals, with a long of 53 yards and 13 for 13 on extra points.

Accuracy wasn't always the case with Lindell, who joined the Bills in 2003 after playing three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. In the 2003 season, Lindell was 3 for 9 from beyond 40 yards with a long of 44. The following season, he didn't even attempt a kick longer than 50 yards and was 1 for 3 from beyond 40 yards.

"Really, Rian has had a great four years here," said punter Brian Moorman, who holds for Lindell on field goals and extra points. "If you ask him, his first year here wasn't what he would have liked, but a lot of people didn't realize he was kicking the whole season with a hurt shoulder. He had a torn labrum. He didn't get a lot of credit because of that. So I don't think there was much turning around for him to do, it was just getting healthy. He's a great kicker and he's proven that over the past three seasons."

If you ask Lindell, the reason for the turnaround is that he's more comfortable with the surroundings here in Buffalo.

"I think when I first came in, I tried not to miss," Lindell said. "And then, of course, you start missing and you start trying to aim it and miss that. Then you get yourself into a hole and you get to a point where you really can't afford to miss. I kind of pushed reset a little and now I'm kicking better."

For his career, Lindell has made 139 of 177 field goal attempts and his longest was a 54-yarder. He's also connected on all 204 extra point attempts. He has 621 career points.

He is the 18th active kicker in the NFLto play at least 100 games.

Lindell will play his 101st game Sunday when the Bills (3-5) travel to Indianapolis to take on Peyton Manning and the league-leading Colts (8-0).

e-mail: mkrueger@beenews.com