Steelers accustomed to late-season adversity

PITTSBURGH -- Hines Ward says one more loss might be too many. At the locker stall next to him, Deshea Townsend says one victory might be exactly what the slumping Pittsburgh Steelers need.

A few lockers down, Ryan Clark notices the lack of panic among the Steelers (6-5) despite a three-game losing streak that includes successive overtime losses, one to the mediocre Chiefs (3-8).

The Steelers are flirting with becoming the first team to miss the playoffs the season after winning the Super Bowl since they themselves fell short three years ago. That's not an envious distinction, yet there's no sense in their dressing room that their season has escaped them.

They weren't very good in November (1-3), yet they still expect to play in January.