Cowboys Inactives: Malik Hooker's status revealed moments before Bills game

The Dallas Cowboys take on the Buffalo Bills while on the road for a huge Week 15 showdown between two high-powered offenses in potentially rainy conditions. 90 minutes ahead of the game, the Cowboys announced their list of inactive players of the game. After concerns about a flu bug hitting the team hard, cornerback Stephon […]

Mauricio Rodriguez — Dallas Cowboys News Writer
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Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn talk at midfield prior to a game against the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium.
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The Dallas Cowboys take on the Buffalo Bills while on the road for a huge Week 15 showdown between two high-powered offenses in potentially rainy conditions.

90 minutes ahead of the game, the Cowboys announced their list of inactive players of the game.

After concerns about a flu bug hitting the team hard, cornerback Stephon Gilmore and wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert are both ready to go for gameday, confirming a report from early in the morning. With that being said Let's dive into the full list of players who won't be suiting up. 

Cowboys Inactives vs. Bills, Week 15

  1. FS Malik Hooker
  2. DT Johnathan Hankins
  3. WR Jalen Brooks
  4. RB Deuce Vaughn
  5. OT Asim Richards Jr.
  6. CB Eric Scott Jr.
  7. QB Trey Lance (emergency quarterback)

The biggest takeaway here has to be regarding safety Malik Hooker. After missing a couple of practices due to a shoulder injury, Hooker is inactive. He was listed as questionable after being listed as "limited" after Friday's injury report. His status seemed to be up in the air and now the defense takes a major hit just moments before gametime. 

His absence on the field will loom large against Josh Allen and a Bills offense that won't be afraid to take some shots downfield against the Cowboys defense. Hooker is a critical piece of Dan Quinn's scheme as he puts a lot of stress on the veteran in single-high coverages.

Speaking of defense, Quinn's unit will notably be without Johnathan Hankins, the starting nose tackle. That means it'll be up to Mazi Smith (and practice squad elevation Carl Davis) to help out against the Bills' rising offensive line.

Beyond that, there are no surprises on the list. Jalen Brooks has been inactive since Week 13 after getting a few chances here and there, particularly on special teams. 

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