CINCINNATI - T.J. Houshmandzadeh flings his helmet. Carson Palmer openly berates a receiver. Chad Johnson grouses all over again about not getting enough passes thrown his way.

The Cincinnati Bengals seem to be falling apart.

A 26-20 loss in Baltimore on Sunday left the defending AFC North champions with a two-game deficit in their division, a break-even record and a list of personal grievances that grows with each loss.

The only constants are the fussing and the fading.

Coach Marvin Lewis talked around his team’s problems Monday, trying to move on to the second half of a season that has been nothing like what the Bengals (4-4) expected. There’s still a chance to reach the playoffs.

“Our guys understand what’s ahead of us,” Lewis said.

If they can’t get beyond the festering frustration, the future won’t be much prettier than the past.

Four losses in the last five games have brought out the worst in the Bengals. Players are openly second-guessing the play calls and their collective toughness, losing their cool during games and grousing afterward about how things have turned out.

Sort of like the Bungles of old.

Only a few players made themselves available in the locker room Monday after meeting with their displeased head coach. Their comments a day earlier had said it all.

“There’s no question we do have some young guys, some guys that don’t take every advantage of their situation,” Palmer said. “And we do need to grow up in a number of areas. We do need to mature and become professionals, and that’s something that can happen from where we are.

“Obviously, the way we’ve been doing it, the way we’ve gone about our business has got us 4-4.”

How have they gone about it?

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In the past two weeks, running back Rudi Johnson has complained about being left out of the game plan, right tackle Willie Anderson has questioned the team’s manhood, and Chad Johnson has promised big games, then failed to deliver.

Anderson had his right arm in a sling as he left the stadium Monday. He was listed as questionable with a strained shoulder for the next game against San Diego. Starting cornerback Tory James also was listed as questionable with a sore knee and reserve CB Greg Brooks had arthroscopic knee surgery on Monday and is out indefinitely.

Johnson, the Pro Bowl receiver, has only two touchdowns this season, and was seething after being held to four catches for 32 yards against Baltimore.

“All you can do, as an individual, is go out and make plays and give your best effort,” Johnson said in an expletive-laced postgame interview. “Also, you have to be given opportunities to make plays. Four for 32 — that’s ridiculous. You’ve got to be kidding me.

“When Christmas comes around, I might as well be a hood ornament, because all I’ve been so far is a decoration — a decoration sitting out there all pretty, ready for people to jump on.”

Lewis said Monday he had talked to Johnson about the outburst, but declined to go into detail.

No one wanted to talk about Palmer’s out-of-character outburst after Chris Henry made no attempt to catch a desperation pass at the end of the game. Henry watched Chris McAlister intercept the pass, then merely touched him with his hands instead of trying to wrestle the ball away.

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Palmer, who usually keeps his feelings under control, yelled and gestured at the receiver as they walked off the field.

“We talked, we handled it,” was all that Palmer would say about it.

It didn’t end there.

Houshmandzadeh yanked off his helmet and angrily slammed it to the ground after the officials decided not to call pass interference on a ball thrown his way in the closing minutes. Houshmandzadeh got a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Then, Houshmandzadeh refused to acknowledge the obvious.

“We’re better than Baltimore,” he said. “They’re not better than us. They beat us, but they know they’re not better than us.”

Actually, the Ravens are two games better in the standings. And, the gap is growing, along with the gripes.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 4 games STEELERS 23, RAVENS 20, OT: Baltimore loses first game of season REDSKINS 26, COWBOYS 24: Dallas can't contain Portis in 1st loss BEARS 24, EAGLES 20: Goal-line stand boosts Chicago JETS 56, CARDINALS 35: Favre throws career-high 6 TDs BUCS 30, PACKERS 21: Ryan's 3 FGs lift Tampa CHARGERS 28, RAIDERS 18: San Diego tops rival 10th straight time BILLS 31, RAMS 14: Buffalo 4-0 for first time since 1992 CHIEFS 33, BRONCOS 19: Johnson rushes for 198 yards for K.C. BROWNS 20, BENGALS 12: Anderson throws TD TITANS 30, VIKINGS 17: Tennessee 4-0 for first time ever PANTHERS 24, FALCONS 9: Smith honors Lucas after TD JAGUARS 30, TEXANS 27, OT: Scobey kicks game winner SAINTS 31, 49ERS 17: McAlister scores first TD of year