A pass slips through Chad Johnson's hands Monday night against the Patriots.  Teams normally don't take kindly to charges that they are in disarray.  Disarray is the national perception of the Bengals after a 34-13 loss to New England on Monday night. The nation saw inept play and bickering. Afterward, Marvin Lewis directed a profanity-laced tirade at his players.

Yet Lewis didn't take offense when the D-word was broached at his news conference yesterday.  "That's a good perception, if that's one they want to have," Lewis said. "Hopefully, the Kansas City Chiefs feel like we're in disarray. Or the team after that. We're going to play with a chip on our shoulder, and we'll get after it and be fine."

The first can only help. The second had better help.  The flaws apparent in the Cincinnati Bengals' first two losses were on display for the nation Monday night, exposed by a New England team that exploits opponents' every weakness. The 34-13 final was no shocker.  The Bengals defense gives up too many big plays. The offense, for all its potency, makes too many mistakes. Instead of giving players yesterday off, coach Marvin Lewis convened a team meeting.

The Bengals are beaten up physically and psychologically. They are 1-3, with a bye week to heal and look in the mirror. As they do, Lewis' words will echo in their ears.  In the postgame locker room, Lewis blistered his team in a rant that could be heard next door. In his news conference, he lambasted the team for selfishness, a problem he had vowed to address after last season.  "(We're) not playing as a team right now, and that's what he meant," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "It definitely is evident playing against a team that plays as one and doesn't play as individuals. That's where we need to get to."

Bengals fall prey to Brady's bunch

Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is sacked by a wave of Patriots defenders in the first half.  The New England Patriots put on display last night everything the Bengals are not.  The Patriots are seasoned and smart. They seldom make mistakes. They play as a team.  The Bengals do none of those things right now.

Cincinnati's failings were put on display in front of the nation in a 34-13 loss in Paul Brown Stadium.  "I'm just as upset, obviously, as I could be," said coach Marvin Lewis, who from the media room could be heard screaming at his team.  With the season one-fourth completed, the Bengals (1-3) find themselves alone in last place in the AFC North and bordering on disarray.

In the House That Corey Dillon Built - and discarded his shoulder pads - the Patriots made themselves at home against the Cincinnati Bengals for the second straight season, and it was one of Dillon's replacements in the Patriots backfield, Sammy Morris, who was the best Ohio player.

Morris was filling in for Laurence Maroney, who helped the Patriots gash the Bengals for a season-high 236 rushing yards on 41 carries last year but was a last-minute no-go with a groin injury this time.  Morris responded with his second career 100-yard game, finishing with 117 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries to lead a Patriots rushing attack that had 173 yards on 34 carries and ground the Bengals into submission with a 34-13 victory last night.  "We've got a lot of good players on this team," said linebacker Tedy Bruschi. "Pick a positional group. When somebody goes down, somebody has been able to go in and contribute - offensive line, defensive line, defensive backs. That's who we are and we expect it from each other."

Brady leads a precision offense to an easy victory; Cincinnati suffers third straight loss.

Too much Tom Brady. Too much Randy Moss. Too much Sammy Morris.  Too bad for the Cincinnati Bengals.  The New England Patriots, showing the precision that has earned them three Super Bowl rings this decade, put on a textbook performance in a 34-13 victory over the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on Monday night.

A Bengals' record crowd of 66,113 saw Brady throw three TD passes — two to Moss on plays covering 7 and 14 yards — and Morris score on a 7-yard dash as New England (4-0) hit the season quarter pole in perfect stride.  In stark contrast to the sprinting Patriots are the staggering Bengals (1-3), who will drag a three-game losing streak into Kansas City on Oct. 14. They won't lose on Sunday because they get a bye, which is how their season is going ... bye, bye.

Johnathan Joseph probably knew the Randy Moss jump ball was coming. He's seen it in practice.  "We have Chris Henry here on our team who is similar to Randy Moss," the Bengals second-year cornerback said of Henry, who is suspended for the Bengals' first eight games.  "Going up against Chris, a guy who's 6-(foot)-4 and can run, catch it over both shoulders, go up and jump and get it. It just helps a lot to prepare for that in practice."

Well, a perfect throw and catch can beat good coverage.  Joseph closely guarded the 6-4 Moss, stationed in the front corner of the end zone. Moss turned around, jumped high, twisted, caught the ball and got his feet in for a 7-yard touchdown.  Moss won that battle Monday night at Paul Brown Stadium in what became a 34-13 Patriots victory.  Moss had three catches for 30 yards in the first half and finished with nine for 102 yards and two scores. It was a different Moss than the Bengals saw at PBS last year with the Raiders, when he had two grabs for 28 yards.