This team is for real.

Yeah, the Steelers are down to their third-string quarterback and they’re missing some key offensive operatives, but Heinz Field remains one of the NFL’s toughest venues for a visiting team.

Add a national TV audience when facing one of the league’s hottest teams — Pittsburgh had won seven of its last eight — and you get the magnitude of the Bills 17-10 win on Sunday night.

First, and most critically, the Buffalo punched its ticket to the AFC playoffs. At 10-4, if the season ended today, the Bills would play at Houston in the first round of the postseason.

And, importantly, they’re spared from having to win one of their last two games to qualify.

On Saturday the Bills are at New England (11-3) and Dec. 29 at New Era Field host the Jets (5-9) and winning both — with some help — could actually claim the AFC East title for the first time since 1995.

As every Buffalo fan knows, the Bills have a tainted history at Foxboro where they’ve won only twice in the last 18 games, both victories with asterisks: in one the Pats had secured home-field throughout the playoffs and coach Bill Belichick rested his starters, in the other quarterback Tom Brady was serving his “Deflategate” suspension.

Then, too, this year New England has its own inspiration. It’s a loss away from forfeiting a first-round playoff bye to Kansas City which beat it a week ago at Gillette Stadium.

Last night’s win — the first over Pittsburgh in 20 years — reduced the pressure or trying to beat the Pats on the road or the stress of HAVING to get past in Jets in the finale.

Notes from the Bills’ gritty victory that handed the Steelers only their second loss in the last nine games:

— Buffalo’s first takeaway came when cornerback Tre-Davious White intercepted a Devlin Hodges pass, his team-leading fifth pick of the season, tied for second in the league. On the following series, White injured his shoulder but returned for the next Pittsburgh possession.

Then, in the second half, White made a statement about his being among the NFL’s elite corners when he picked off a second pass, tying him with former Bill Stephon Gilmore, now with New England, who picked off two Sunday at Cincinnati giving both a league-leading six.

— The Bills first turnover came when quarterback Josh Allen had a tipped pass picked off by cornerback Steven Nelson, his first of the season. It was Allen’s ninth interception of the season, but only his second in the last nine games.

Takeaway No. 2 came when rookie running back Devin Singletary fumbled when hit by linebacker T.J. Watt with cornerback Mike Hilton recovering. It was Watt’s sixth forced fumble and Hilton’s first recovery. Singletary fumbled twice in the game — Buffalo recovered the second — after having only two in his first 141 touches this season.

— Pittsburgh’s second turnover immediately followed Allen’s interception when Buffalo defensive end Trent Murphy knocked the ball loose from Steelers running back James Conner with safety Jordan Poyer recovering. It was Murphy’s second forced fumble this season and Poyer’s third recovery. Later Murphy sacked Hodges, his third of the season.

Poyer intercepted Hodges in the end zone with under two minutes to play, his second pick of the year and cornerback Levi Wallace clinched the game with an end-zone pick, his first of the season. Buffalo’s four interceptions were a season high, the previous best was two.

— Pittsburgh’s first sack of Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen could have been credited to any of three players, but ultimately it was shared by Watt (team leading 13) and Vince Williams (2.5).

— Buffalo end Shaq Lawson, got a sack, giving him 6 ½ on the season and, ;ate in the game, tackle Jordan Phillips got two, giving him a team-leading 9 ½ .

— Allen’s 1-yard rushing touchdown was his ninth of the season, most for an NFL QB this season. Cam Newton holds the NFL record for rushing TDs with 14 his rookie year..

— Buffalo has yet to lose consecutive games this season.

— It was the first time in 12 years that the Bills appeared on Sunday Night Football. Buffalo is now 3-10 all-time at Pittsburgh and 10-16 all-time in all meetings with the Steelers who had beaten them seven straight.

— The game marked a National Football League first … at least in the past 92 years of its one century history. Bills middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and his siblings with the Steelers, Trey, a running back, and Terrell, a safety, marked the first time three brothers played in the same game since 1927. All three are in their second pro seasons, Tremaine and Terrell from Virginia Tech and Trey from Maryland. The trio are the sons of former Pro Bowl tight end Ferrell Edmunds.

— Inactive for the Bills were tackle Ty Neskhe (ankle), defensive tackle Corey Liuget (knee), running back T.J. Yeldon, safety Dean Marlowe, wide receiver Duke Williams, running back, tight Tommy Sweeney and offensive lineman Ike Boettger.

The Steelers’ inactives included wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee), tight end Vance McDonald (concussion), quarterback Paxton Lynch, cornerback Artie Burns, linebacker Tuzar Skipper, offensive lineman Chukwuma Okorafor and defensive end Isaiah Buggs.

(Chuck Pollock, a Bradford Publishing senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)