Cowboys sign no-penalty pledge after miscues

IRVING — Call it a no-penalty pledge for the Dallas Cowboys.

After drawing three penalties that came after plays were done against the New York Giants, coach Wade Phillips this week had his players sign a pledge that they would play smarter and avoid such penalties.

Phillips admitted Thursday it was the first time he’s ever gone to the extreme of having players sign something.

“I want their word that they’re going to try to do the right thing. That’s my feeling,”

Phillips said. “It may be silly. It may be whatever, but I was serious about it and I think I feel like I needed to do something they’re going to respond to. And everybody saw that it cost us points. ... We all saw it but I felt like I needed to do something.”

In the 31-20 victory at New York on Sunday, there were post-play penalties against Kevin Burnett, Keith Davis and Bradie James.

Burnett was flagged for taunting running back Brandon Jacobs at the end of a run, a penalty that helped set up the Giants for a tying field goal just before halftime. It also drew Burnett a $5,000 fine from the NFL.

James was penalized for unnecessary roughness for a shove on the Giants’ opening TD drive. Davis drew the same penalty on the opening kickoff of the second half, which set New York up near midfield, though they didn’t pick up a first down.

Phillips knows there will be penalties, but he wants his players to think about what they’re doing and eliminate the senseless ones.

“Everybody makes mistakes, I understand that,” the coach said. “I felt like that if you give me your word that that isn’t what I want to do, then I’m going to try not to do it. Some of it’s thinking ahead.”

Silence broken

Andre Gurode took some grief from his fellow Cowboys offensive linemen after he broke the code of silence.

The linemen have by choice been a virtually silent group this season, though they’re not having to avoid questions seeking explanation about bad play. The line has been a big part of the success for the NFC-leading Cowboys (8-1).

So, why the public silence by the big men?

“We’re just trying to hold each other accountable and make sure everybody stays focused,” Gurode said. “It’s just something that developed in a meeting earlier in the season. We just wanted to be a group to go out and show what we’re about playing-wise.”

Quotable

“I hope he’s getting some money from it. He needs it. He’s got to feed his family.” — Coach Wade Phillips quipped when asked about Tony Romo’s jersey being the top seller on NFL.com. Romo signed a $67.5 million, six-year contract last month.