PITTSBURGH — Winning games in the National Football League is a difficult challenge each and every week in and of itself.

Giving the opposition extra possessions and free yardage usually spells disaster and such was the case once again for the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field.

Many of the 62, 910 in attendance expected the Steelers to be able to roll to 3-1 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in town with an 0-3 record and coming off a 56-14 thrashing at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons.

The players on neither team evidently received the message.

The Steelers had plenty of opportunities to deliver several knock-out blows, but couldn’t cash in and aided the Bucs’ cause with an astonishing 13 penalties for 125 yards. Taking that a step further, six of those flags were of the 15-yard variety.

Throw in a poor punt late in the game and the Bucs came to Heinz Field and shocked basically everyone outside of their locker room with a 27-24 victory.

The level of shock in the Steelers’ locker room during the post-game media session may have only been trumped by the fans, who actually showered the Black & Gold with a smattering of boos in the waning seconds.

But, what else would you expect?

Pittsburgh rallied from an early 10-point deficit to take a 24-17 lead into the fourth quarter.

There was no finger pointing, but instead, just a common theme of a need to get better — in a lot of areas.

Whether it was cleaning up the penalties, playing a full 60 minutes, covering the pass better or establishing a more consistent running game, the issues were plentiful.

“It’s frustrating because it’s a game you can look back on and feel like you had in control and then let it slip through your fingers,” Steelers’ defensive lineman Brett Keisel said.

The penalties and obvious lack of discipline that the Steelers are battling were the chief topic of discussion. The issue isn’t a one-time thing, either.

The Steelers have been flagged more than 10 penalties in three of their four games thus far and the only time they weren’t was in Baltimore. That night they were guilty of nine infractions.

All told, the Steelers rank 31st in the league at this point with an average of 10.3 penalties a game.

“It’s all about playing football within the guidelines of the rules, so we’ve all got work to do in that regard,” Keisel said.

The Steelers committed far too many post-play penalties. Such as Heyward being flagged 15 yards for an unsportsmanlike conduct when he verbally undressed an official and Antonio Brown was flagged for taunting.

Those are the kinds of penalties that are reflective of an undisciplined football team.

“I don’t think we’re undisciplined, but it keeps showing up in stadiums,” Keisel said. “You can’t have penalties in stadiums consistently because you can’t be a highly penalized team and expect to win.”

How that problem is corrected is the toughest part. Obviously, in-play penalties, such as holding or jumping off sides, are going to happen and can be corrected through practice. Unfortunately, taunting and yelling at officials are issues that can’t be practiced.

Each player — and coach — needs to be held responsible for his actions. That’s where Mike Tomlin needs to come in because those penalties should be avoidable if the players realize they won’t be accepted.

“(You fix penalties), including myself, by not doing them,” Heyward said. “All around, we all need to clean this up. When you commit penalties, it gives (the other team) a better chance to score.”

Heyward was flagged for arguing for a holding call that he was convinced he saw. That play resulted in a 3-yard touchdown run by Doug Martin in the third quarter and tied the game at 17.

“Whatever they saw, they saw,” Heyward continued. “I saw a hold, but that’s just the way it goes.”

Regardless the sport or level, arguing with officials will get you nowhere. Obviously, the players have been around the sport long enough to realize that and much of it is an inability to control their emotions.

That’s where team leaders — and coaches — need to take charge and make sure the players realize there are consequences to actions.

“Every guy needs to determine how this applies to them,” tight end Heath Miller said. “Then you have to take that upon yourself to get better. It’s frustrating to lose, so we’ll take a hard look at it (Monday) and determine the areas where we need to get better.”

Though the penalties are an issue that definitely needs addressed, the loss is something that must be shook off quickly because another two-game road trip begins next Sunday in Jacksonville.

“Like everyone else (in the NFL), we just have to get back to work,” center Maurkice Pouncey, who was called for a snap infraction on the last Steelers’ offensive series, said.

SETH’S SCOOPS

— IT WAS good seeing St. Clairsville native Tim Spencer and Barnesville native Larry Marmie, who are members of the Tampa Bay coaching staff. Both are first-class individuals.

The win on Sunday capped a great weekend for Spencer. His son, Evan, caught his first touchdown of the season in Ohio State’s victory against Cincinnati on Saturday night.

Marmie told me he had a chance to visit with some friends and family Saturday night.

— PUNTER BRAD Wing sat at his locker just staring after the game after his punt of 29 yards gave the Bucs a short field on the game-winning TD drive. Many of the players — and media — had cleared out before Wing had even changed out of his game pants and headed for the shower.

— THE STEELERS offense outgained Tampa, 390-350. But, the Steelers’ defense allowed 286 of those Tampa yards in the second half.

Staskey can be reached via email at sstaskey@timesleaderonline.com or at twitter.com/TLSportSeth