FRISCO, Texas -- The most important days of the Dallas Cowboys' season didn't come with the first win in Week 2 against the Washington Redskins or the road wins against the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, or even in the overtime win against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The success of their season traces back to a room that has been empty since June. But, oh, if those walls could talk now.

Jason Garrett can still hear the arguments from his office from the meeting room down the hall at Valley Ranch, the Cowboys’ former practice facility.

For three Mondays in the spring, the Cowboys’ leadership council -- a group of about 15 players representing the offense, defense and special teams -- spent hours in a meeting room in which Super Bowl seasons were devised by coaches like Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer.

They were charged by Garrett to come up with a players' creed, a statement that would define their expectations for the season and each other.

Voices were raised about what was and wasn’t important. Disagreements ensued. Feelings might have been hurt. Statements were written on a white board and crossed out dozens of times.

Eventually the group came to a consensus. By the end of the offseason, pen went to paper.

So protective are the players about the creed that they asked it not be relayed verbatim or photographed. The tenets are not any different than what has been preached countless times by countless teams over countless years.

But it is theirs.

There is a segment about being accountable to each other, about winning everything, about being a team player, about never giving up. The closeness and chemistry that has been lauded so many times during the season can be found inside the creed.

What mattered to Garrett is that the players came up with it and have lived by it. He loved to hear the arguments because he knew there was passion in the room.

For all of the bromides a coach can come up with, they ring more true when they come from players.

“It’s insanely important,” said defensive end Tyrone Crawford, who was in the room. “It’s the player that came up with it, so we felt like we were from all different types of personalities and types of players on the team. Just bring us all together and making us one. I feel like that creed does that, and everybody has one path.”

On a wall leading to the showers inside the locker room at The Star, the Cowboys’ new practice facility, the creed is attached to a wall for all to see. For games at AT&T Stadium, like tonight’s against the Detroit Lions, it is the last thing the players see before they head to the field.

“I think more than anything it’s having those standards to hold yourself accountable to,” kicker Dan Bailey said. “A lot of times you can have rules in place and this and that, and there’s so much gray area. We felt like with this it is pretty straightforward, what our expectations are in how we want to hold each other accountable.

"So, really, if there’s something that goes against it, there’s no argument. It’s, ‘Hey, look, we hashed this out at the beginning of the year for everybody to see. If you’re not on board with that, we need to have a discussion.’ I think it’s been good for the team. I can’t speak for everybody else. I don’t know if everybody pays a ton of attention to it, but it’s there if we need it, and it’s there as an accountability thing.”

When Lucky Whitehead was late to team meetings on Dec. 10 and told not to fly to New Jersey with the team, players let him know their disappointment with him as set up in the creed. Whitehead apologized to his fellow receivers and teammates multiple times.

After clinching home-field advantage and an NFC East title Thursday thanks to the New York Giants' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cowboys could begin to coast into the playoffs. But Friday’s practice was sharp.

“Have no choice, because if it wasn’t (sharp) we wouldn’t be right,” wide receiver Dez Bryant said. “You got guys running this locker room that’s going to call it out. We going to continue to keep practicing hard. We all know what we’re trying to reach.”

Before the first game of the season, the players signed the creed. Their fingerprints were also added, a permanent reminder of sorts.

“It’s a desire and a fire that lights up behind us when we read that, and that’s something that shows our identity,” defensive tackle Cedric Thornton said. “Something that paints the picture of who we are with our words, so it’s something we want to live by. Something like the Ten Commandments almost, or something you definitely want to keep to a higher standard.”