THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Can the Mariners keep it going in prime games?

One question always seems to pop up in emails, or when I’m speaking to various groups.

People want to know if I’m a “fan” of the various teams we follow.

The answer is a good way to start a “Notes and Quotes” column for today.

No, I can’t be a fan — not in the way you mean.

My No. 1 role as a columnist is to give you interesting but honest looks at the teams and athletes who are so popular in this area.

But I DO want to see these teams win.

I’m viewing things through tinted glasses — because that’s what most of our readers are doing.

However, as for being an outright, crazed fan, my only loyalty that carries that far belongs to Arsenal of the English Premier League.

I can stay relatively calm (more or less) during these critical Mariners games in their run for the playoffs, but I was a wreck in Arsenal’s first game in the European Champions League on Wednesday.

Well, briefly.

Fortunately, the Arse defeated Dutch club PSV Eindhoven 4-0 in that match.

Blood pressure back to normal.

ITEM: What have we learned about the Seahawks through two games?

For instance, what has to improve if they’re going to make a serious run at the playoffs?

Simple.

They’ve got to find a pass rush.

The Hawks didn’t sack Matthew Stafford in that openingloss to the Rams, and only hit him twice.

In the win over Detroit, the problem was the same for a long time — until Tre Brown (on a corner blitz) and Dre’Mont Jones changed the game with sacks of Jared

Goff in the fourth quarter.

If you have any doubt about how the lack of a pass rush impacts a defense, the Rams and Lions combined to convert 17 of 28 third downs.

That’s a 60.7 percent mark, which left the Seahawks dead last in that category through the NFL’s first two weeks.

That’s gotta get fixed.

The good news is that All-Pro safety Jamal Adams, who’s been out since the first game of last season, is back to practicing at full speed.

Coach Pete Carroll has suggested that Adams, who will play something of a hybrid role (doubling as a rush linebacker), likely will sit out one more game.

If that plan stays in place, Adams would return one week later against the Giants in New York.

He’s needed.

Desperately.

ITEM: Can the Mariners win the AL West?

Sure.

They’re within breathing distance of Houston and Texas, and play both those teams over the final 10 games of the regular season (three at Texas, then home for three with the Astros and four against the Rangers).

To pull it off, though, Seattle has to get back to solid pitching — especially from its starters.

The Mariners have the lowest ERA in all of MLB, but you can sweeten those numbers against teams that really don’t pack much offensive punch.

That will NOT be true over the season’s final week and a half.

Texas’ offensive numbers dropped off a bit while third baseman Josh Jung and outfielder Adolis Garcia were out injured, but both are back and the Rangers will hammer anything less than A-game pitching.

Ditto the Astros — we’ve seen their act before — who not only feature all the bats that won the World Series a year ago, but have added Michael Brantley (back from a long injury rehab) and free-agent signing Jose Abreu.

For most of the year, Abreu was no factor (.235 batting average, .665 OPS, 16 homers), but over the last month, he’s begun raking again.

The Rangers and Astros both have stumbled with some pitching woes — Texas ace Max Scherzer is out for the year — but they can REALLY hit.

In other words, it will be strength against strength in duels with the Mariners, who really need their starters to bring their best stuff.

Oh, and a stat to keep in mind, since several of these games figure to be close: Despite all the good work done by the Seattle bullpen, the M’s are 6-14 in extra-inning games.

The problem has been driving home critical runs.

For instance, the Mariners were a shocking 4-for-33 with runners in scoring position during that three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.

Not exactly a championship recipe, eh?

ITEM: Reader John Austin has a fascination — no, let’s call it a fixation — with the late comedians Abbott and Costello, and especially with their famous routine:

“Who’s on First?”

So, naturally, when John spotted a really unique situation on Monday night, he not only made a point of it – he even dragged his wife into the conversation.

Here’s what John wrote …

“What a night for sports.

“I have three TVs going. Bryan Woo pitching for Seattle on one TV, and TJ Watt for the Steelers on the other.

“You guessed it … Woo’s on first and Watt’s on second.

“My wife said what’s on the third, and I said: ‘I don’t know.’

“You can’t make this stuff up!”

Oh, I think you can, John.

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”