In fact, in what could have been an emotionally-suffocating day for him, he had one of the most towering single efforts in NFL playoff history.
You can’t say the same about Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and certainly not the Cincinnati defensive front who mounted no pass rush.
Nor can you salute head coach Marvin Lewis, who is now 0-6 in the six trips he’s made to the playoffs in his 12 years as the Bengals head coach.
Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, Cincinnati was embarrassed again by the Colts. This time the final was 26-10.
In mid-October the Bengals came here and were routed 27-0. That game – and a few other blowout losses just like it this season – showed you the hollow under-pinnings of a Cincinnati team that won 10 games and did have some impressive victories this year.
This loss marks the fourth year in a row the Bengals have had a one-and-done trip to the postseason. The franchise has not won a playoff game since January 6, 1991.
“In these big-time moments, big-time guys step up and make huge plays,” said Bengals veteran left tackle Andrew Whitworth. “You see it every week. You look at the teams that get the big wins and their top guys make the plays to get them to where they need to go. Today, we never made a big play.”
Granted the Bengals were playing without two of their prime receiving targets. Stellar wide receiver A.J. Green was sidelined after suffering a concussion last week against Pittsburgh and tight end Jermaine Gresham didn’t dress because of a back injury.
But when that was brought up after the game, Lewis quickly dismissed the thought: “I think that’s an excuse. This is professional football.”
The Colts did get a big-time performance from quarterback Andrew Luck, who made a half-dozen difficult throws, amassed 376 passing yards and a score and looked every bit the franchise player he is.
Regardless of the diminished receiving corps, Dalton – even though he signed a six-year contract that could be worth $96 million – again looked like no more than a mid-level quarterback.
The one Bengal who lived up to the moment was Nugent, who lifted his team back into the game just before the half with the second-longest field goal in NFL playoff history.
The Colts were leading 13-7 just before the half and were well on their way to positioning themselves for a last-minute field goal when running back Dan Herron – who otherwise was exceptional – lost a fumble at the Cincinnati 41.
The Bengals manged to move the ball to the Colts’ 39 before stalling. But that’s when Nugent moved off the sideline to let Lewis and the other coaches know he could take it from there.
He felt the kick – which would be from 57 yards – was in his range. From the time he stepped onto the field to warm up some 90 minutes before the game, he knew he was kicking well.
As is routine, he went through the pregame kicking session with his family watching from the stands. Everyone that is but his 66-year-old father, Dan, who died suddenly last month from a heart attack.
“From the time in high school where I thought I might have a future as a kicker, he’s always been there,” Nugent said after the game. “I went to kicking camps and he drove me day and night. We’d stay in hotels. He’s support me from the sidelines, but he never pushed it. He just let me know he was there.
“Since I’ve been with the Bengals he had a rule. He’d say: ‘I don’t care what we do before a game, but I’m gonna be in the stadium at 11:30 to see Mike warm up.’
“I’d see him up there and if I pulled one or something, I’d make sure I caught his eye. It was kind of to give him – what’s the word? – assurance that I knew what I did. I just got so used to him being there.”
In fact, he said he caught himself before the game when he left his game tickets at Will Call:
“I started to write ‘Dan’ on the envelope. I caught it and wrote my mom on there. Since my dad died, she makes sure she’s at every game.”
When he went out for the 57 yarder – which would not only be a personal best in his 10-year pro career, but would be tops in Bengals history – he said he felt good about the kick.
“I kept my head down for a long time after I kicked it,” he said. “I usually hit them better when I do that. And I think this time it allowed the kick to hang on at the end.
“I started it in the center of the uprights, but it had a little draw and it was like there was a magnet. It went straight toward the upright.
“I was talking to it, telling it to “Hang on! … Hang on!’ Kevin (holder Kevin Huber) was, too. I had to run because I couldn’t see it and then I had to look at the ref to make sure. It bounced off the upright and went through. That felt great.
“It gave us some momentum going in the dressing room. You could see it on the others guys, too.”
Whitworth, mentioned that very thing afterward:
“I’m just so proud of Nuge, the way he’s stepped up, the character he’s shown the last month.”
Since his father died, Nugent has made 8 of 9 field goal attempts. The only miss was a 50-yarder in the wind at Pittsburgh.
“It’s been tough, but my teammates and the coaches have helped me though this,” Nugent said.
He talked about what a good bunch this was and said that’s why Sunday’s loss was tough to take:
“Two weeks ago we showed what kind of team we were against Denver (a 37-28 Bengals’ win) and I wish we could have done the same today.”
At least he did. In fact, he’s done it every game since his dad died.
“Yeah, I think my dad would be proud of the way I’ve hit the ball ever since this happened,” he said quietly before heading to the locker room door and his waiting family. “I think he would have really liked this one today.”
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