FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys held a short team meeting Friday morning, hours after the New York Giants' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles clinched Dallas' first NFC East championship since 2014 and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs for the first time since 2007.
Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett congratulated his team for their accomplishment. Then they got focused on Friday's practice leading into Monday night's home game against the Detroit Lions.
The players didn't pick up their division title hats and t-shirts until the work day ended.
As wide receiver Dez Bryant said after practice, the No. 1 seed is nice – but now it's time to "get back to business" with two regular-season games left.
"We all know what we're trying to reach, just like every other team in the league," Bryant said. "Yeah, we're excited, but at the same time we've got to continue to keep working. We've got to keep that edge. We've got to stay focused."
Garrett fielded multiple questions about whether he would consider resting starters in the final two regular-season games now that their playoff seeding is already determined.
His message was clear.
"We're focused on practicing as well as we can practice and playing the best game we can play on Monday night," he said. "The preparation leading up to that is critical for us and we anticipate everyone being in the same roles that they've been in."
Some of our favorite shots from practice at Ford Center at The Star on Friday, December 23.
