After seeing his side humbled at home by Blackburn, Garry Monk described the result as two steps forward and one step back.
The Owls went into the game on the back of two impressive wins away from home with clean sheets to boot.
But Wednesday were unrecognisable against Rovers and duly punished.
Monk said: “It’s two steps forward and one step back with that performance and result.
“As far as I’m concerned it was the first ten minutes that cost us.
“We didn’t take our opportunities to move forward, we turned around or moved sideways and you can’t do that in the Championship.
“We’ve been punished in the worst possible way.
“It’s hurts, it hurts a lot, but one thing for sure is that we will stick together as a group.”
Monk was unmoved by suggestions that the red card issued to Massimo Luongo decided the destiny of the points.
Luongo was dismissed in the first half for a challenge on Lewis Travis.
He added: “It was 100% not a red card and we will 100% appeal it. He’s not aggressive, he’s not late and there’s no malice.
“It changed the complex of the game but I am not using that as an excuse because we let ourselves down today.
“It’s a bad day but we have to remember we are in a healthy position in the table so we have to take this into the training next week.”