DaytonDailyNews.com

CINCINNATI — The remedy that will relieve the Cincinnati Bengals' pain, cure their sickness and massage their bruised ego is simple.

"We've just got to win," head coach Marvin Lewis said Monday in the wake of a 29-27 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. "That's what it comes down to. When you win, you look kind of foolish when you are sitting in there complaining."

Tailback Rudi Johnson and offensive tackle Willie Anderson vented after the Bengals' third defeat in four games, saying the team should've pounded the ball more against the Falcons' undersized defensive line. Only 18 of Cincinnati's 56 offensive plays were runs.

Lewis wrote off the comments as frustration.

"It's that normal thing that players go through: 'It's not me. It's got to be somebody else,' " Lewis said. "It comes with the territory. It certainly doesn't surprise me.

"We did pound Atlanta until they hit us for a 7-yard loss in the third quarter. Second-and-17. I don't know how much pounding we are going to do at that point. I appreciate their thoughts. But if they were always 100 percent right, we would really be in great shape."

Defensive tackle John Thornton said any negativity shouldn't leak outside the sanctuary of the locker room.

"Some guys got frustrated and said things, but we shouldn't be saying that stuff to people on the outside," Thornton said. "We worked a lot this offseason on keeping stuff in-house as far as frustrations. But after a loss, it's always tough."

Linebacker Brian Simmons' take? Young players need to mature. Veterans must show professionalism. Everyone must accept responsibility and be held accountable.

"This team has to kind of find a way (to win)," Simmons said. "It is frustrating when you don't win. But you've got to bounce back and not let every loss seem so devastating."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com.