So what’s your take on the Pittsburgh Steelers this season?

Good year? Bad year? Are you on the fence?

No one can be blamed for taking the latter position, because that’s exactly where it appears the Steelers will be landing by the end of the regular season.

Eleven wins gets them into the playoffs. Ten wins would normally do the trick, but in a cocked and loaded AFC, a 10-7 record puts them right on the fence. That might be enough wins or they could lose out in a tiebreaker.

This is one of those seasons where one conference is so much stronger than the other. Only six teams from both the AFC and NFC qualify for postseason play.

Put this current Steeler team in the NFC and punch their ticket. They’re certainly good enough to qualify out of that group. But in the AFC?

Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos, Buffalo, Miami, the New York Jets, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Cleveland all have realistic playoff aspirations. That’s 11 teams, five of which are going to be pretty disappointed.

Who’s really good in the NFC beyond Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas and Seattle? Detroit, New Orleans and the New York Giants, maybe. Someone has to win the NFC North and South divisions by default.

The key to getting to the playoffs through the AFC is going to be conference wins. More than likely, AFC teams are going to beat up on NFC teams — Detroit’s win at Kansas City on Thursday notwithstanding — creating a logjam of good won-loss records in the former.

That will also set up a tiebreaker or two. Conference wins will be the key there.

The level of Kenny Pickett’s play at quarterback may decide the Steelers’ fate. Their defense appears to be solid and they’ve got plenty of weapons at the skilled positions to go with an offensive line that’s come a long way in a couple of years.

Pickett need not feel the pressure, though. If the Steeler offense flourishes, he will receive plenty of glory. If it flounders, offensive coordinator Matt Canada will receive all the blame.

My guess is the Steelers will go 10-7 this year. In a competitive AFC, that’s pretty good. As for the playoffs?

Wait on the tiebreaker.

Thinking of Mason

No one from this area could possibly go into this weekend of football without Karns City quarterback Mason Martin still weighing heavily on the mind.

The outpouring of support, love, prayers and financial assistance Mason and his family have received from people nearby and far away has been astounding.

His mother has been battling cancer for years. The Martin family has been tightly bonded and committed to faith in helping her wage that battle. Now that same commitment to faith and courage has joined another member of the family facing a physical battle.

The family’s willingness to publicly share updates of their son while coming to grips with the situation is commendable. These are remarkable people.

The love, strength and resolve they’ve received from countless amounts of people?

This is a remarkable community.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle