Bill Cowher challenged his team and lightly chided the news media two days after the Baltimore Ravens drove the Steelers' record down to 4-7 with a dominant 27-0 victory.

		Listen In Audio commentary from Bill Cowher's Tuesday press conference: "I don't like losing. Period." "You're never as good as you think you are, and never as bad as they say you are ..." He did not consider benching Roethlisberger "Persevere through the tough times ..." Listen to the entire press conference

"I'm not going to let one game define who we are," Cowher said during his weekly news conference. "Many people in here would like to do that, so be it. You're entitled to make whatever judgments you want to make.

"In my mind, one game does not define this football team and its ability to persevere through this. And that's what we're in the process of doing."

Cowher noted that his team was involved in close games in every loss except the last one.

"I've said it before, you're never as good as you think you are or as bad as they say you are. Right now, they're saying a lot of things that aren't too positive. You don't get caught up in that, just like you don't get caught up in it when they're giving you all the accolades."

He talked to his team Monday about its position heading into the final five games and repeated some of it yesterday at his news conference.

"Nobody likes the situation. Deal with it. The best thing we can do right now is to take advantage of our opportunity and go out and win a football game on Sunday. This team has won two of the last three games."

He even held out hope for the slightest of chances for ... a playoff spot?

"Right now, we have five games left and we have to win every one of them and let the chips fall where they may."

Trying times

Cowher acknowledged that entering the season as defending Super Bowl champions makes a 4-7 record tougher to accept.

"It does become difficult. Certainly, for our football team and the expectations that we had, it becomes trying. It tests you.

"I think it becomes very revealing as well. You find out about yourself and the people around you as well. It has a way of separating the conditional friend from the unconditional. It reveals a lot about yourself.

"I'd like to think that last weekend was not representative of our football team. We did play that way. I'd like to think it was an aberration. It's something that won't take place again, but we have to validate that statement on Sunday."

Ward, Polamalu out

Cowher confirmed that Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu will miss Sunday's game against Tampa Bay at Heinz Field. Ward had surgery Monday to remove two "loose bodies" from his knee, and Polamalu has a second-degree tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee.

Cowher said they could miss the Thursday night game Dec. 7 against Cleveland, but he won't know until next week.

Nate Washington will start at flanker for Ward but rookie Santonio Holmes also will get work there, Cowher said. Holmes has played at split end, alternating every third series with starter Cedrick Wilson.

Tyrone Carter or Mike Logan will start at strong safety for Polamalu, Cowher said, and rookie safety Anthony Smith will play in the dime passing defense.

Also, Cowher said he's unsure if Ike Taylor will return to start at cornerback after he was demoted for the game in Baltimore.

"That's kind of a week-to-week decision."

Injury report

The rest of the Steelers injury report issued by Cowher:

Punt returner/wide receiver Willie Reid (foot) and linebacker Clark Haggans (hip) are questionable. Linebacker Joey Porter (elbow), center Jeff Hartings (knee), linebacker James Harrison (ankle), special teams co-captain Sean Morey (toe), quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (chest) nd Taylor (concussion) are probable.

Reid could replace Holmes returning punts if he's healthy enough.