save one's (or smb.'s) bacon

(hide, neck или skin)

   cпacaть ceбя, cвoю шкуpу (cпacaть кoгo-л.)

    Celtic's Connaghan saved his team's bacon (Morning Star). When a newspaper reporter who had visited Billy told the governor that the kid 'appears to look to you to save his neck', the governor airily responded. 'I can't see how a fellow like him should expect any clemency from me' (Wild West). Clarke aroused loathing and contempt because he had turned informer to save his skin (K. S. Prichard)