The Cowboys lost a major piece of their passing attack when Michael Gallup suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee six days ago against Arizona.
Thanks to Cedrick Wilson, though, wide receiver depth still looks like a strength heading into the playoffs.
Wilson delivered with more snaps once again Saturday night, catching five passes for a game-high 119 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Cowboys' 51-26 win over the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Wilson and the Cowboys receivers feasted against an Eagles defense that rested the majority of their starters Saturday with a postseason berth already in hand.
He caught a 16-yard TD pass from quarterback Dak Prescott on the Cowboys' first possession -- the first time in eight games that the offense reached the end zone on its opening drive.
Wilson's 24-yard TD gave the Cowboys a 17-10 lead midway through the second quarter. And his 37-yard reception on a free play (defensive offsides by Philadelphia) late in the third quarter led to a Corey Clement touchdown catch that extended Dallas' lead to a comfortable 37-20 margin.
Starting receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb combined for 7 catches and 124 yards. Tight end Dalton Schultz also caught 2 TDs from Prescott, who set a single-season franchise record with 37 TD passes.
"We can put up big numbers if we're all snapping," Wilson said. "We have a few guys that don't even get touches, and they were part of the offense as well. It goes to our preparation in practice, when everybody gets in, and when we can roll it over into the game."
Wilson has developed into a super-sub in his fourth year with the team. He sat out his 2018 rookie year with a shoulder injury but has been a reliable option for Prescott the past three seasons when the Cowboys have called his number, including a seven-game stretch earlier this season while Gallup was on injured reserve with a calf strain.
Wilson finished the regular season with career highs across the board: 45 catches for 602 yards and 6 TDs, as well as 11 punt returns for 36 yards and 3-for-3 pass attempts on gadget plays (now 5-for-5 in his career).
Maybe the most impressive part is Wilson's efficiency. He caught 5 of 6 targets from Prescott on Saturday (45 of 61 this season).
"Like I always talk about, the biggest reason why this team is good is because of the depth we have. Ced is an example of that," Cooper said. "Somebody goes down, unfortunate that MG went down, Ced can just step in and get the job done. Same for pretty much every position across the board."
Wilson prides himself on knowing all three receiver positions so he can contribute wherever needed across the formation, but he says Gallup -- a close friend and arguably the Cowboys' best deep threat -- brings something unique to the offense when healthy.
"It's two different play styles," Wilson said. "He plays the X, and I play the F. Most of my work comes from a majority in the slot. We're definitely going to miss him on the outside."
Like Gallup, Wilson is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Games like Saturday night only help the potential value of a second contract. But he's only thinking about the Cowboys' opportunity to make a postseason run over the next few weeks.
"That's part of the game. You play good, you get paid good," he said. "My focus right now is going into the playoffs and bringing a championship here."
