CINCINNATI — Coach Dick LeBeau lectured about outlook. Running back Corey Dillon fumed over criticism for taking a breather when the game was out of reach. The kicker wondered about job security.

        The Cincinnati Bengals were a little edgy Monday, a day after their worst loss of the season.

        By losing 24-0 to the Chicago Bears, the Bengals (3-3) provided evidence that they're not really all that much better than their woeful predecessors.

        One of the NFL's biggest surprises in September is fading like the leaves. The Bengals have lost three of their last four games, getting pushed around in the process.

        LeBeau tried to push the negatives aside Monday. His normally low-key news conference started with a statement about optimism and quickly developed an edge.

        “I stood here a year ago without a win,” LeBeau said, referring to an 0-6 start. “Now, I stand here in front of you with three wins and a chance to go to 13. That's an opportunity. I was disappointed with the way we played. I am not discouraged about where we are.”

        The Bengals are nearing the end of their honeymoon with fans, who had started to believe this season might actually be different from the last 10. The NFL's worst team since 1991 opened 2-0, including an upset of Baltimore.

        The 2-0 start seems to have gotten more than just the fans' attention.

        “Teams don't prepare for us like they prepared for the old Bengals,” offensive tackle Willie Anderson said Monday. “That's the biggest challenge: Teams are going to give us their best. Chicago gave us their best. Teams are preparing for us.”

        The Bengals looked totally unprepared for what happened to them Sunday.

        The Bears came into the game averaging only 3.1 yards per run, second-worst in the NFL. Then Anthony Thomas set a Bears rookie rushing record with 188, and Chicago ran for 203 yards overall — an average of 6.3 per carry.

        The Bengals' offense was just as dreadful as their defense. Dillon had only 30 yards on 16 carries, and came out of the game near the end of a fourth-quarter drive that ended with Jon Kitna throwing four incompletions from the 2-yard line. Dillon later exchanged words with Kitna.

        Dillon angrily defended himself Monday, saying he came out of the game as he often does when he's tired.

        “If I need a (rest), I'm going to come out,” Dillon said. “We ran four pass plays in a row. What's the problem? There isn't a problem, period.”

        Dillon was the intended receiver on the first of the four incompletions. Kitna said their animated discussion had nothing to do with Dillon taking himself out after the play.

        “He does that often,” Kitna said. “He has a good feel for his body. That had nothing to do with it. We just had some miscommunication on that play. We're talking about something that had no bearing on the game.”

        At that point, the only question was whether the Bengals would avoid a shutout. The Bears wound up getting their first since 1993.

        The Bengals had two other chances to score, but Kitna threw an interception at the 6-yard line and Neil Rackers missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.

        The miss left Rackers only 6-of-12 this season, with six misses in his last nine attempts. The Bengals invited three kickers — Jaret Holmes, Vitaly Pisetsky and Jon Hilbert — to try out Tuesday for a spot on the practice squad.

        LeBeau said lineup changes could result after the coaching staff analyzes the latest loss.

        “The last I looked, it was called professional football,” LeBeau said. “That means you are compensated for your ability to play football, to perform on the football field. It does not say that you will continue to be compensated if you do not perform.”

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