4 Cowboys who rescued Mike McCarthy from coaching disaster in win over Lions
By Randy Gurzi
![Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5722,h_3218,x_0,y_95/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/GettyImages/mmsport/129/01hjz3v5zj6skmbvjcn3.jpg)
3. Donovan Wilson, Safety
Detroit was kept out of the end zone on their two-point try at the end of the game but that wasn't the only huge stop that hurt them in this one. In the first half, they were trailing 7-3 and nearly went down 14-3. That didn't happen since CeeDee Lamb fumbled the ball out of the end zone, giving the ball to the Lions.
They then went 76 yards on 11 plays but fell four yards shy of a touchdown, turning it over following a failed fourth-down attempt. That was possible thanks to Donovan Wilson, who had his best game of the season.
First, Wilson broke up a pass in the end zone on second down, keeping Sam LaPorta from scoring the touchdown. On the very next play, he read the run perfectly and stopped Jahmyr Gibbs after a one-yard gain. The following pass was incomplete but the outcome could have been vastly different if not for Wilson, who led the team with 11 tackles.
As good as he was in that series, Wilson saved his best for the final quarter. With a 17-13 lead, the Cowboys needed a big play from their defense following a stalled drive. The veteran safety delivered when he stepped in front of a pass intended for LaPorta and secured the interception that allowed Dallas to go up by seven.
WILSON! A pick for the @dallascowboys with just over 2 min to go
β NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
πΊ: #DETvsDAL on ESPN/ABC
π±: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/urKeZaIvCL pic.twitter.com/sNsGL4eEx0
His first interception of the year came at a perfect time and should have allowed them to win comfortably. Mike McCarthy had other plans as he was dialing up passes to stop the clock but Wilson still did his part to will the team to victory.