Thursday, December 8, 2011

Kicker Lindell's IR trip makes Rayner full-time

By Dan Begnoche

Compounding the Bills’ injury woes, Buffalo placed kicker Rian Lindell on the Injured Reserve list Thursday, making that their 15th player to go out for the season.

“I didn’t think it would take this long,” Lindell said this past week. “I’ve never really broken anything, especially a shoulder. I tore my labrum when I first got here and I was able to kick with that. That was my left shoulder and that was a little different. This is a much sharper pain.”

Lindell’s departure makes way for Dave Rayner, Lindell’s replacement since his injury in Week 9, to finish the season. The journeyman is 80 percent overall since joining the team, including 2 of 3 from more than 50 yards. Buffalo is the eighth stop for the 29-year-old Michigan State grad.

Lindell is the Bills’ all-time leader in field goal percentage and second all time in field goal attempts behind Steve Christie.

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