December 23, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals kicker Josh Brown (3) reacts after kicking a forty three yard game winning field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Cincinnati Bengals won 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

When the month of December started with many NFL teams fighting their way into the postseason, no one would have guessed free agent kicker Josh Brown was going to be an integral part helping one not only get into the playoffs, but make franchise history.

In 2008, Brown signed with the St. Louis Rams who made him the NFL’s highest paid kicker at the time. His 81% field goal percentage made him one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, but after the team drafted Greg Zuerlein this offseason, Brown was cut in favor of the much cheaper rookie. After spending training camp with the New York Jets, he was cut and left out of work for much of the 2012 NFL season.

That is until the Cincinnati Bengals came calling when Mike Nugent went down with what eventually became a season-ending calf injury. Brown came in and played as if he’d never skipped a beat, hitting 11/12 field goals, and made the field goal that clinched a second-consecutive playoff berth for the Bengals, the first time that’s happened in franchise history.

For his efforts, Brown was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month. His award also gives the Bengals their seventh weekly or monthly AFC awards this season, which sets a single-season record for the most in franchise history. The Bengals will be looking to make more history this Sunday as they haven’t won a postseason game since January 6, 1991. The 22 seasons without a postseason victory is the longest drought in the NFL.

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Oct 14, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals kicker Mike Nugent (2) during a game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Cleveland won 34-24. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Bengals have placed kicker Mike Nugent on the injured reserve list. Nugent has missed the past three game with a calf injury, and Josh Brown had done so wll in his absence, the team felt it was better to go forward with Brown. Nugent, who originally strained his calf in practice, was given the franchise tag this offseason, and this latest development does not bold well for his long-term future in Cincinnati. He had hit all 12 field goals inside 40 yards, but was 7 /11 from beyond 40. Josh Brown is 8/9 this year, including the game-winning 43-yarder to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers and clinch a playoff berth. His only miss was from 56 yards.

The team replaces him by signing CB Chris Lewis-Harris from practice squad. He originally signed with Bengals as college free agent and played in all four preseason games, notching 13 tackles and one sack before being signed to the PS. Harris was signed to the active roster and played in Week 3 vs. the Redskins, but was then cut and signed back to the PS.

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January 1, 2012; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams kicker Josh Brown (3) celebrates after a successful onside kick in the second half against the San Francisco 49ers at the Edward Jones Dome. San Francisco defeated St. Louis 34-27. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The Bengals have been blessed for the most part with the reliability of kicker Mike Nugent over the past two seasons. He’s currently converting 82.6% of his kicks this year, but they likely won’t have his services on Sunday vs. the Dallas Cowboys after he was absent from practice yesterday with a reported calf injury, and the team has just signed free agent kicker Josh Brown. He spent four years with the Rams after entering the NFL with the Seahawks as a seventh-round pick in 2003.

Brown reportedly beat out Neil Rackers and Billy Cundiff at a Tuesday workout. The long-time Seahawks and Rams kicker went 21/28 for the St. Louis Rams last season and hit three of the four he tried for the Jets during this preseason before being cut.

November 20, 2011; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cincinnati Bengals center Kyle Cook (64) during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M

The Bengals also waived center Jeff Faine to make room for Josh Brown on the roster, meaning Kyle Cook will be active for the first time this season on Sunday. He likely won’t get many, if any snaps in his first game back since seriously injuring his ankle during the preseason, but we should expect to see him reclaim his starting spot before the end of the regular season.

Since the Bengals will play Dallas on Sunday, then be on a a short week with the team traveling to Philadelphia to play the Eagles on Thursday Night Football, look for him to start the Week 16 showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bengals have lost 10 of the past 12 meetings with Pittsburgh, but those two wins came with Cook as the starting center.

The Bengals were also reportedly bringing in free agent kicker Nate Kaeding in for a tryout today, but Kaeding decided not to tryout as he is still collecting a paycheck from the San Diego Chargers, who cut him earlier this season after he suffered a groin injury.

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