They're 1-2 and have been steamrolled in the past two home losses to the Lions and Saints. The first-team defense, an admitted work in progress under first-year coordinator Mike Zimmer, has been the better half of the team.

It's the high-priced offense, missing starting wide receivers Chad Johnson (shoulder) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) and starting tailback Rudi Johnson (hamstring), that has struggled more than expected.

In 10 series the past two games with Carson Palmer at quarterback, the offense has punted eight times, been intercepted once and had its best drive end in a blocked field goal. In 49 plays, they've gained eight first downs.

Palmer was sacked three times against the Saints -- the third breaking his nose -- and once against the Lions, whose defense also hit him four other times. Palmer was listed Sunday as questionable for the Indianapolis game but is expected to start in the regular-season opener Sept. 7 at Baltimore.

That's just what the Bengals needed: More bad news, another vital cog out of an offense that seems disjointed and out of sync, at best.

They've just been bad. The offensive line -- 100 percent healthy and deep, with Willie Anderson working as the sixth man -- has been inconsistent in pass protection and run blocking. Tailback Chris Perry, playing for Rudi Johnson, has worked hard for 101 yards on 30 carries.

"We have our work cut out for ourselves," a grim Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said afterward.

If Palmer can't play at Indianapolis, Ryan Fitzpatrick will start, but his appearance will do nothing to help smooth out the problems the first-team offense is having. Rudi Johnson said he'll be back, but he was supposed to play against the Lions. Houshmandzadeh's playing status is a mystery, and Chad Johnson's is even murkier. Johnson landed hard on his left shoulder against the Lions. He sustained a sprained shoulder, which Lewis said had popped out and back into place before Johnson was off the field. Lewis had said Johnson is making good progress toward returning, but speculation is Johnson will be out for a longer period of time; surgery is a possibility and he might not play at Baltimore.

Injuries also have taken the projected third and fourth receivers out of the mix. Marcus Maxwell, who had the inside track on the No. 3 job, is lost for the season after injuring his thigh seriously while doing extra routes after practice Aug. 19. No. 4 projected wideout Andre Caldwell, a rookie, is in a walking boot after hurting his foot. His return is unknown.

Fellow rookie Jerome Simpson, drafted in the second round, has flashed some of the play-making ability that promises great things in the future, but he remains raw and inconsistent. He has nine receptions for 144 yards -- most in second-half garbage time. The Bengals started veterans Antonio Chatman and Glenn Holt in the third preseason game.

Some positive notes: Perry's health and clear improvement. Lewis has said if the season started now that Perry would start at tailback. And tight end Ben Utecht has been consistent with 10 catches for 108 yards and a touchdown. He and Palmer have a solid chemistry already, and the Bengals might have to rely on Utecht heavily in the first month.

Speaking of the first month, the Bengals will be without their latest addition, wide receiver Chris Henry, for the first four games when he has to serve another league suspension. The club signed him to a two-year deal Aug. 19 after all charges against him stemming from a March 31 assault arrest were dropped for various reasons. The choice was team president Mike Brown's, not Lewis'.

The offensive line has been healthy but playing poorly. Bengals quarterbacks have been sacked 10 times in three games -- albeit just the preseason -- compared to a single-season franchise record 17 in all of 2007.