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By Charean Williams
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- Sean Lee might have made the team charter late. Every other player had left the Dallas Cowboys' locker room when Lee was headed to the shower.
The Cowboys had waited all year to see what they saw Sunday night, so what was another few minutes?
Lee, the team's second-round draft pick, had two interceptions of Peyton Manning. The first he returned 31 yards for a touchdown. The second led to a game-winning field goal in overtime as the Cowboys upset the Indianapolis Colts 38-35.
"To beat a great Colts team and play against Peyton Manning and have two picks, I've been blessed," Lee said. "I was blessed by God tonight."
Lee, who had a history of knee injuries at Penn State, missed 13 training camp practices and two preseason games with a quadriceps injury. He injured a hamstring in the season opener and missed two games.
The Cowboys, though, kept faith that they eventually would see the player they had rated as the 16th best on draft day in April.
"He's been hurt early on throughout the deal," linebackers coach Reggie Herring said. "He's had his growing pains. But he's put together a couple of weeks back to back and is building confidence [from] our coaching staff.
"It's a process he had to go through, and he's going through it. He'll continue to see more snaps as we get [more] confidence [in him]. It would be nice to be able to roll those guys and keep them fresh."
The Cowboys saw the future Sunday. So, too, did Keith Brooking.
Brooking is 35 and in his 13th NFL season. He is not long for this job. Lee, 24, was drafted to take his place.
Lee played 19 defensive snaps against the Detroit Lions two weeks ago and 11 against the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving. He got his first extended playing time Sunday, because Brooking was slowed by a left foot injury. Lee's four tackles, two interceptions and two defensed passes are an indication that he might be ready for more.
"He's such a good kid and football is really high up on his priority list and it means a lot to him," Brooking said, "and it was very evident from the first day I met him. So you really pull for guys like that. He's getting everything he deserves right now because he's put the work into it.
"The sky's the limit for that kid. He's going to be a really good player."
The Cowboys had just upped their lead to 20-14 in the third quarter when Lee stepped in front of intended receiver Blair White and picked off Manning at the 31. He dived into the end zone -- the 10th rookie in team history with an interception return for a touchdown -- where a Colts offensive lineman landed on top of him.
"Then, everybody was jumping on me," Lee said. "I got beat up."
Lee injured his left shoulder on the play, requiring medical attention from doctors in the locker room. Some extra padding and a pain-killing shot allowed him to get back on the field.
Manning likely wishes Lee hadn't returned as Lee became the 11th rookie in team history with two interceptions in a game, the first since Terence Newman in 2003. It was the first two-interception game for a Cowboys defender since Newman had two against the New York Giants in 2008.
Cornerback Mike Jenkins undercut tight end Jacob Tamme and tipped the ball to Lee, who returned it 13 yards to the Indianapolis 36 to set up David Buehler's 38-yard game-winning field goal.
"I'm like, 'Please, just catch it,'" Lee said. "To be in the right place at the right time, you're like, 'Please, just catch it.' Mike Jenkins made a great play to tip it up to me, and I was lucky to catch it."
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- Sean Lee might have made the team charter late. Every other player had left the Dallas Cowboys' locker room when Lee was headed to the shower.
The Cowboys had waited all year to see what they saw Sunday night, so what was another few minutes?
Lee, the team's second-round draft pick, had two interceptions of Peyton Manning. The first he returned 31 yards for a touchdown. The second led to a game-winning field goal in overtime as the Cowboys upset the Indianapolis Colts 38-35.
"To beat a great Colts team and play against Peyton Manning and have two picks, I've been blessed," Lee said. "I was blessed by God tonight."
Lee, who had a history of knee injuries at Penn State, missed 13 training camp practices and two preseason games with a quadriceps injury. He injured a hamstring in the season opener and missed two games.
The Cowboys, though, kept faith that they eventually would see the player they had rated as the 16th best on draft day in April.
"He's been hurt early on throughout the deal," linebackers coach Reggie Herring said. "He's had his growing pains. But he's put together a couple of weeks back to back and is building confidence [from] our coaching staff.
"It's a process he had to go through, and he's going through it. He'll continue to see more snaps as we get [more] confidence [in him]. It would be nice to be able to roll those guys and keep them fresh."
The Cowboys saw the future Sunday. So, too, did Keith Brooking.
Brooking is 35 and in his 13th NFL season. He is not long for this job. Lee, 24, was drafted to take his place.
Lee played 19 defensive snaps against the Detroit Lions two weeks ago and 11 against the New Orleans Saints on Thanksgiving. He got his first extended playing time Sunday, because Brooking was slowed by a left foot injury. Lee's four tackles, two interceptions and two defensed passes are an indication that he might be ready for more.
"He's such a good kid and football is really high up on his priority list and it means a lot to him," Brooking said, "and it was very evident from the first day I met him. So you really pull for guys like that. He's getting everything he deserves right now because he's put the work into it.
"The sky's the limit for that kid. He's going to be a really good player."
The Cowboys had just upped their lead to 20-14 in the third quarter when Lee stepped in front of intended receiver Blair White and picked off Manning at the 31. He dived into the end zone -- the 10th rookie in team history with an interception return for a touchdown -- where a Colts offensive lineman landed on top of him.
"Then, everybody was jumping on me," Lee said. "I got beat up."
Lee injured his left shoulder on the play, requiring medical attention from doctors in the locker room. Some extra padding and a pain-killing shot allowed him to get back on the field.
Manning likely wishes Lee hadn't returned as Lee became the 11th rookie in team history with two interceptions in a game, the first since Terence Newman in 2003. It was the first two-interception game for a Cowboys defender since Newman had two against the New York Giants in 2008.
Cornerback Mike Jenkins undercut tight end Jacob Tamme and tipped the ball to Lee, who returned it 13 yards to the Indianapolis 36 to set up David Buehler's 38-yard game-winning field goal.
"I'm like, 'Please, just catch it,'" Lee said. "To be in the right place at the right time, you're like, 'Please, just catch it.' Mike Jenkins made a great play to tip it up to me, and I was lucky to catch it."