This is the December 7, 2012 news archive. View today's Dallas Sports news and rumors.

Dallas Sports News and Rumors

Cowboys' Ratliff (groin) out against Bengals

Todd Archer, ESPN.com

Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff will not play Sunday at Cincinnati, missing his third straight game because of a groin injury.

SportsDayDFW sports, dallasnews.com

DMN staffers offer their predictions for Sunday’s Cowboys-Bengals game in Cincinnati Tim Cowlishaw: Bengals, 30-16 Cowboys haven’t had to stop a quarterback with second-year Andy Dalton’s experience in a month and he will exploit their defensive hol…

Brandon George / Reporter, dallasnews.com

IRVING – Much of the chatter about the Cowboys’ offense of late has been about the progression of receiver Dez Bryant. In the meantime, quarterback Tony Romo has played his best football over the last five games and given Cowboys officials even more r…

Rainer Sabin / Reporter, dallasnews.com

IRVING – In the last two games, Rob Ryan’s defense has been torched by two quarterbacks and a pair of running backs who have one thing in common: They’re all rookies. Washington’s Robert Griffin III and Philadelphia’s Nick Foles passed for a com…

Rainer Sabin / Reporter, dallasnews.com

IRVING — Nate Livings has maintained a low profile since signing with the Cowboys last March. But the veteran left guard has received more attention this week. Livings surfaced on the team’s injury report after missing practice Thursday because of an …

Rainer Sabin / Reporter, dallasnews.com

IRVING — The Cowboys may have to deal with the elements Sunday. According to the most recent forecast, there is a 60 percent chance that it could rain in Cincinnati when Dallas faces the Bengals. Head coach Jason Garrett said his team hasn’t prepared …

David Moore / Reporter, dallasnews.com

Cincinnati enters Sunday’s game ranked No. 8 in the NFL in defense. The Bengals lead the league in sacks. Mike Zimmer, who spent 13 years on the Cowboys staff as an assistant, is Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator. Zimmer has been so good for so long …

David Moore / Reporter, dallasnews.com

A Cowboys defense that gave up more than 30 points just twice in the first 10 games has now allowed 38 and 33 points in the last two. That 33 points was put on the board by a Philadelphia team that entered the game averaging 16.7 points. “I know we’ll…

David Moore / Reporter, dallasnews.com

A Cowboys offense that has struggled for the bulk of the season is beginning to show signs of life. The team has scored 30 or more points in a game three times this season, and all three have come in the last four games. The Cowboys have scored 66 point…

Brandon George / Reporter, dallasnews.com

IRVING — Cowboys starting left guard Nate Livings fully participated in practice Friday after not practicing Thursday because of a sore right knee and is expected to play Sunday against his former team in Cincinnati. Livings is listed as probable on the…

David Moore / Reporter, dallasnews.com

Brandon George / Reporter, dallasnews.com

IRVING — Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said Friday that nose tackle Jay Ratliff won’t play Sunday at Cincinnati. This will be the third consecutive game that Ratliff has missed because of a strained groin and the seventh game Ratliff has miss…

MLB.com

Zack Greinke? Still seems likely. Josh Hamilton? Yep, there's a good chance he's back in Arlington. Justin Upton? Stay tuned.

CNNSI.com

Houston Texans (11-1) at New England Patriots (9-3)

Brandon George / Reporter, dallasnews.com

IRVING — Cowboys starting left guard Nate Livings was back at practice Friday morning and walking-through with the first-team offensive line at Valley Ranch. Livings didn’t practice Thursday because of a right knee injury. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff (str…

Darin Gantt, profootballtalk.com

During the team’s 3-4 start, when Tony Romo was on the wrong side of the touchdown-interception ratio (9-13), many people doubted the Cowboys quarterback. Now that things have turned around (10 touchdowns and two picks in the last five games), more peop…

Jonathan Bales, dallasnews.com

Jonathan Bales is a special contributor to SportsDayDFW.com. He’s the founder of The DC Times and writes for DallasCowboys.com and the New York Times. He’s also the author of 

Associated Press, ESPN.com

O.J. Mayo scored 23 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 35 seconds to go, and the Dallas Mavericks held on to beat Phoenix 97-94 on Thursday night, the Suns' fifth loss in a row.