Cowboys 'Need More Discipline' to Fix Penalty Issues, Dak Prescott Says

The Cowboys certainly sent fans home happy after a 21-point second half that finished off the season sweep of the Giants in the 28-20 win on Thursday. But it was not all pretty. 

Part of the game was frustrating to watch for Cowboy fans as penalties, and turnovers kept the game closer than many predicted. ... and yes, it was frustrating for the guys involved as well.

 "We've got to, first off, stop with the penalties." Prescott said. "We've got to be more disciplined.''

In the first two quarters of the Thanksgiving game, Dallas was called for seven penalties while Prescott threw two interceptions. ... all of which helped out the Giants to a 13-7 halftime lead. 

Some will blame the penalties on having a short week of preparation. But being heavily-penalized is nothing new for the Cowboys. Dallas entered Thursday as the fifth-most penalized team in the NFL. A 13-penalty outing later, they are tied with the Denver Broncos for first at 83.

And yes, this is reminiscent of last year, when Dallas was also No. 1 in an unfortunate category.

The Cowboys must, Dak said, "Stop hurting ourselves on drives and self-inflicted wounds – whether it be me turning the ball over, being too aggressive or not on the same page as receivers, false starts. 

"We've got to clean all of that stuff up."

Miscommunication between Prescott and his receivers? Check. Weird false-start penalties? Check. Two guys going in motion at the same time? Check.

All of it was overcome by a 21-point second half, but being -2 in the turnover margin and racking up double-figure penalties ... and being a true contender?

Those things are not a sustainable combination. The Cowboys know this ... which is a start. Or, in their case on Thursday, maybe a false start.

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