It's safe to say the deck will be stacked against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Marvin Lewis' club will travel to Texas Stadium as massive underdogs to the Dallas Cowboys, a status that has just as much to do with the home team as it does the visitor.

Dallas suffered a 26-24 home upset at the hands of the hated Washington Redskins last week, and in a crowded and talented NFC East, the Cowboys know they can ill-afford to lose another home game that they're expected to win.

In addition to the need to avoid losing ground, Dallas must erase the ugly specter of its first full-fledged controversy of 2008, which erupted in the wake of the Washington loss.

Following the contest, Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens was at his outspoken best, criticizing the offensive game plan. Owens, who caught seven passes for 71 yards and a touchdown in the loss, later in the week indirectly criticized quarterback Tony Romo for throwing him uncatchable passes.

The furor caused by the remarks figures to light a fire under the Cowboys, who have suddenly seen their Super Bowl viability questioned, even after notching impressive early-season wins over the Browns (28-10), Eagles (41-37), and Packers (27-16).

At the same time, the Bengals have no one to blame but themselves for their perceived Week 5 status as lambs being led to the slaughter.

Cincinnati is one of four remaining winless teams in the NFL, joining the Rams, Lions, and Texans, and is fresh off a 20-12 home loss to the previously 0-3 Cleveland Browns last Sunday.

That game was played minus quarterback Carson Palmer, who is nursing an elbow injury and is uncertain to play against the Cowboys. If Palmer can't go, backup Ryan Fitzpatrick would make his second straight start for Cincinnati.

It is possible that the Bengals could get a lift on Sunday from a couple of October additions.

Talented wide receiver and prodigal son Chris Henry has finished serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The league gave the Bengals a one-week roster exemption for Henry, meaning he won't officially count against the 53-man roster unless the team chooses to play him on Sunday.

Also a possibility to make his 2008 debut is back Cedric Benson, who was signed as a free agent on Tuesday to shore up a beleaguered running back position. Benson, the No. 4 pick in the 2005 Draft out of Texas, started 11 games for the Bears last season but was cut prior to training camp after a series of off-the-field incidents.

SERIES HISTORY

The Cowboys hold a 5-4 edge in their all-time series with the Bengals, but were 26-3 road losers when the teams last met, in 2004. Dallas won the previous meeting, a 23-6 decision at Texas Stadium in 2000. The Bengals are 1-4 in Dallas all-time, with their only win there coming in 1988.

The Cowboys' Wade Phillips is 2-0 against the Bengals in his career, with a win each during stints with the Broncos and Bills. The Bengals' Lewis is 1-0 in his career against Dallas, and will be meeting Phillips for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE BENGALS HAVE THE BALL

Though Palmer's potential absence isn't going to be viewed as an indication that the Bengals are primed to rise from their current abyss, the unspoken reality is that Fitzpatrick just might be the better option at this stage. The woefully disappointing Cincinnati line has allowed 12 sacks thus far, and the mobile Fitzpatrick gives the Bengals a scrambling element that they simply don't possess with the plodding Palmer (514 passing yards, 1 TD, 3 INT) in the lineup. The Harvard product's first Bengals start was not a particularly memorable one, as he completed 21-of-35 passes for 156 yards with three sacks absorbed, a touchdown, and four turnovers (three INT, one fumble) in the brutal-to-watch defeat. But Fitzpatrick also led Cincinnati with 41 rushing yards on the day, and did enable wideout Chad Johnson (11 receptions, 1 TD) to catch his long-overdue first touchdown of the year. Fellow receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh (24 receptions, 1 TD) had six catches last week and is beginning to heat up. Chris Perry (208 rushing yards, 2 TD, 9 receptions) has not provided much of a spark in the running game, amassing just 28 yards on 12 carries last week and losing a fumble. As mentioned, the Bengals signed ex- Bear Cedric Benson to push Perry earlier this week.

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