From villain to hero, in one season flat.

On the final day of September, the tables turned in favor of kicker Brett Maher, having went 4/4 on field goal attempts and 3/3 on point after attempts in the two games to follow his debut miss in the season opener.

It's what he did in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions, however, that truly helped solidify the Cowboys' decision to go with him from the outset. Following what could've been a game-winning six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with only 2:17 remaining in the game, quarterback Dak Prescott avoided disaster by recovering a forced fumble and heaving it out of bounds to keep the team's final drive alive. One conversion catch by wideout Allen Hurns and a blistering 34-yard catch by running back Ezekiel Elliott later, the fate of the Cowboys season rested on the boot of Maher -- with the team down 24-23 and only 0:03 remaining on the clock.

Maher took the field, pulled his leg back and one swing later, the ball was sailing through the uprights to give the Cowboys the victory.

That was good enough to earn him honors as NFC Special Teams Player of the Week at the time.

It wouldn't be his last, because Maher has now received his second nod for the award for his efforts in helping the Cowboys clinch the NFC East in Week 15 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Only two weeks after booting a franchise record-setting 62-yard field goal to help do away with the Eagles, he stepped up and nailed a 59-yarder against the Buccaneers, giving him ownership of the two longest FGs in the storied history of the Cowboys.

Maher hasn't been automatic by any means, but he has already set the aforementioned records and lifted Dallas to victory on more than one occasion in 2018. It feels like forever ago when the team had a possible 1-3 record dangling on the kicker's shoe against the Lions, invoking very real anxiety from owner Jerry Jones and EVP Stephen Jones -- the latter admitting they were jokingly ready to head out of town if the eventual game-winner went anywhere but through the uprights.

"You know it's South America for us if he misses this," said son to father, as told to 105.3FM the Fan after that contest. "Because we're gonna have to leave."

He didn't, so they didn't, and Maher has saved the Cowboys' skin in times when the struggling offense simply couldn't. If things continue to be inconsistent with the unit in the playoffs, there could be yet another pressure-packed kick (or several) on the way for Maher -- a player who's already proven he can get the job done when it matters most.