ARLINGTON, Texas -- Andy Dalton has an idea how defensive coordinators are preparing for Dak Prescott because the Cincinnati veteran remembers being a rookie starter.As the surprising Dallas newcomer prepares for the visiting Bengals in a homecoming of sorts for Dalton on Sunday, Prescott understands better every week what the former TCU quarterback means when he says teams are trying to take your stuff away.For example, the still-perfect Prescott, with a rookie-record 131 passes without an interception to start his career, points to last weeks rally from a two-touchdown deficit for a 24-17 win at San Francisco.Saw some new looks, saw them throw a bunch of different fronts, gave me some different looks that I hadnt seen, said Prescott, the first Dallas quarterback to start his career with four straight interception-free games.So its good for the learning experience and to mark down some more looks Ive seen.Dalton, visiting the Cowboys for the first time in the regular season, can attest to the difficulty of what Prescott is doing since he threw 66 interceptions in his first four seasons.But the native Texan made the playoffs all four of those seasons and was headed there again last season with what figured to be a career low in interceptions when he broke his right thumb with three regular-season games remaining and missed a fifth straight postseason loss for the Bengals since he was drafted.Now Dalton has two picks in four games -- one on a deflection -- and leads the AFC in yards passing. But his focus is more on getting the Bengals (2-2) back over .500 after they started 8-0 last season.Its the team that gets hot at the end of the year and is playing the best, Dalton said. We feel like we have that type of team.Prescott is a victory away from ensuring the Cowboys (3-1) a winning record for the potential Oct. 30 return of Tony Romo from his latest back injury. Dallas was 1-13 without Romo in the three seasons before Mississippi States winningest quarterback showed up.Its hard to do some of the stuff hes been able to do, Dalton said. The big thing that hes done is hes taken care of the ball. When you do that, you give your team the best chance to win.Things to consider in the first regular-season meeting between these teams since 2012, a 20-19 victory for the Cowboys in Cincinnati, a day after Dallas practice squad player Jerry Brown died in a car crash that led to an intoxication manslaughter conviction against teammate Josh Brent:BACK IN THE FOLD: Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is set for his second game back from a three-game suspension for repeated illegal hits, while Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence returns from a four-game ban for violating the NFLs substance-abuse policy. Burfict played the most snaps among Cincinnati linebackers in his season debut. Im not surprised, he said. Thats part of my job description, come in and be a leader.THEN AND NOW: Dalton and top receiver A.J. Green came into the NFL together five years ago, the same way Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott did. Elliott leads the NFL with 412 yards rushing. The kind of people they are, we benefited from them as people as well and their personalities, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.RED ZONE WOES: Cincinnati ranks last in the NFL in getting touchdowns after crossing the opponents 20-yard line. The Bengals have only four touchdowns in 13 such chances. Theyve also been bad on third down, converting 28 percent, ahead of only Miami. Those were points of emphasis this week for a team piling up yards but not points.WATCH THE BACK: Dallas Pro Bowl LT Tyron Smith has missed two straight games with back issues, although he returned to practice on a limited basis to start the week. Cowboys K Dan Bailey is struggling with a sore back as well. Cincinnati TE Tyler Eifert, brother-in-law of Dallas RT Zack Martin, has a back issue that could delay his season debut after offseason surgery to repair an ankle injury from the Pro Bowl.PURPLE POWER: Dalton, who grew up in Houston, said he expected as many as a couple of dozen family members and friends. And then theres the extended family of TCU, where he had a school-record 42 wins, including the Rose Bowl in his finale after the 2010 season. I feel like there are a lot of TCU fans who are Cowboys fans as well, he said. I hope their Horned Frog blood bleeds a little more than their Cowboys blood and they will be rooting for the Bengals.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler Custom Washington Wizards Jerseys Cheap . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. Custom Los Angeles Clippers Jerseys Cheap . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. http://www.basketballcustomjerseys.com/ .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. Wholesale Custom Basketball Jerseys Store . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Custom Minnesota Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. NEW YORK -- Two weeks ago, the New York Rangers were rolling along, playing nearly unbeatable hockey and seemingly scoring goals at will.Now, theyre facing some adversity with a pair of key injuries and their first losing streak of the season.The Rangers won 10 of their first 13 to move into first place in the Metropolitan Division while averaging a league-leading 4.23 goals per game. They had won five straight, scoring at least five in each victory.Since then, the Rangers have totaled 21 goals -- including seven in a win at Vancouver last Tuesday -- while going 3-2-1 over the last six. Theyve followed that season-high scoring outburst with their first back-to-back losses, 4-2 at Columbus last Friday and 3-2 in a shootout at home against Florida on Sunday night.Now the first-place Rangers start a home-and home series at the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins -- just one point back in the Metropolitan -- on Monday night.New York captain Ryan McDonagh believes the team needs to attack the net and distract the opposing goalie to improve its scoring chances.Try to get on the inside a little bit more, take away the goalies eyes and hopefully get some rebound goals, deflection goals and make it a little bit tougher on the goalie, he said. Both nights the past two, (the goalie has) seen a lot of the pucks and thats a big difference there.Center Derek Stepan agreed with that assessment.Everyone is going to tell you that you have to get pucks and bodies to the net, you have to get screens, he said. Goaltenders are too good nowadays, (if) they see the puck they are going to make the save.During their strong start, the Rangers were rolling out four lines with a mix of speed and skill. They were getting contributions throughout the lineup, led by speedy free-agent addition Michael Grabner (11 goals). J.T. Miller leadss the team with 17 points, and McDonagh and fellow defenseman Brady Skjei are tops with 11 assists each.ddddddddddddEven though the output has slowed, they still began the week leading the NHL with 76 goals -- 16 more than the next-closest team -- and are the only team in the league with 14 players with 10 or more points. And of their 13 wins, eight have been by three or more goals.Though the Rangers got a point in the latest loss, the first time going beyond regulation this season, and moved into sole possession of first place in the division, that was no consolation to goalie Henrik Lundqvist.A point is always a point (but) we were looking to get two, he said.The Rangers scoring dip has been exacerbated by the loss of two key forwards in the last week. First, rookie right wing Pavel Buchnevich (four goals and four assists in 10 games) has missed the last four games due to back spasms and is out indefinitely. Then center Mika Zibanejad (four goals, 10 assists) broke his left leg sliding into the end boards early in overtime Sunday night. Hes expected to be out six to eight weeks.Every teams got injuries and we dont expect to be any different than anybody else, coach Alain Vigneault said. Every coach says in these moments its an opportunity for somebody else to get more ice time, and were confident whoever we decide to put in that spot will do the job for us.Vigneault didnt expect to call anyone up from AHL Hartford right away to fill the void, pointing to the teams 12 healthy forwards on the roster.Weve got some options there in the middle with Josh (Jooris) and (Brandon) Pirri that play in the middle, and Oscar (Lindberg) obviously, he said.---Follow Vin Cherwoo at www.twitter.com/VinCherwooAP ' ' '