Getty Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons
The Dallas Cowboys have an important Week 15 road trip to face the Buffalo Bills, but the roster won’t be traveling in full. The team has already ruled out defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, but there are other potential absences as well.
As Dallas Morning News’ Michael Gehlken shared, the Cowboys have several names on the injury report as they prepare to travel north. Hankins is the only one who won’t get on the plane, but other important players like linebacker Micah Parsons, wide receiver Brandin Cooks and corner Stephon Gilmore are also not guaranteed to play.
“Cowboys officially ruled out NT Johnathan Hankins (ankle/knee) for Sunday’s game at Bills. Four players on 53-man roster are questionable: WR Brandon Cooks (illness), CB Stephon Gilmore (illness), WR Jalen Tolbert (illness) and S Malik Hooker (ankle),” Gehlken wrote on X on December 15.
Cowboys officially ruled out NT Johnathan Hankins (ankle/knee) for Sunday’s game at Bills. Four players on 53-man roster are questionable: WR Brandon Cooks (illness), CB Stephon Gilmore (illness), WR Jalen Tolbert (illness) and S Malik Hooker (ankle).
The Cowboys obviously have some form of “bug” going through the locker room. However, that typically doesn’t prevent players from hitting the field. Still, it’s not ideal to have Cooks, Gilmore and Parsons all under the weather.
That being said, Dallas is coming off a dominant 33-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14. The Cowboys’ confidence is through the roof, and it’s hard to see anyone missing a big game under the current circumstances.
Stephon Gilmore Speaks on Bills Reunion
It’s been several years since Gilmore was a member of the Bills organization. But they are still the team that drafted him in the first round and where he spent the first five years of his NFL career. Now, he’s returning for the first time as a member of the Cowboys.
Gilmore has lived up to expectations in his first year in Dallas. At 33 years old, there was speculation over whether he could still produce. With two interceptions and 11 passes defended, that question has been answered.
When asked about his starring performance against the Eagles and a return to Buffalo, Gilmore was clear. He has something to prove.
“I’m just trying to prove myself … it’s just a little bit more fire I guess,” Gilmore explained to reporters. “They got Josh Allen, a great quarterback, he can throw the ball, he got a strong arm, he can run the ball. They got good receivers, so it’s going to be a big challenge for us but I think we’ll be ready.”
In seven career appearances against the Bills, Gilmore has never brought down an interception.
Rare Meeting for Cowboys, Bills in Week 15
Due to the nature of out-of-conference scheduling, it has been four years since the Bills and the AFC East were on the Cowboys’ schedule. That is quite some time, but some things have stayed the same.
In the two sides’ last meeting, the starting QBs were Allen and Dak Prescott. Allen was a second-year player, while Prescott had several years under his belt at that point. That being said, Buffalo did win 26-15 back in 2019.
But in the all-time records, Dallas holds a significant edge. The Bills and Cowboys have only played 13 times, and Dallas is up 8-5. Most iconic of all those victories is, of course, the Cowboys’ two Super Bowl victories over Buffalo to conclude the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
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Cowboys’ Micah Parsons, 2 WRs Battling Illness Ahead of Bills Game