PITTSBURGH — Obviously, the NFL thinks new Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is ready for prime time.

Despite coming off an 8-8 season, the Steelers are scheduled to play five prime-time games during the 2007 season — the most in their history, and nearly one-third of their schedule. Among them are two Monday night home games, both in November, and two Sunday night games.

Pittsburgh's season and Tomlin's head coaching career start with a Sunday, Sept. 9 game at AFC North rival Cleveland and end on Sunday, Dec. 30 with another division road game, at Baltimore. Both games are set for 1 p.m. starts.

Team chairman Dan Rooney has said the Steelers prefer to play only one Monday night home game per season — they had none a season ago but they have two this season against Baltimore and Miami.

The Ravens play at Heinz Field on Monday, Nov. 5, starting a stretch in which the Steelers will play at home four times in five weeks. After a Sunday afternoon home game against Cleveland on Nov. 11, and a Nov. 18 game at the New York Jets, the Dolphins play a night game in Pittsburgh for the second season in a row Nov. 26. The Dolphins and Steelers met in the NFL's kickoff game last season.

The Steelers' only Sunday night home game will be Dec. 2 against Cincinnati, their second home night game in seven days. They close the season after that by playing three of their final four away from home, meeting New England, St. Louis and Baltimore on the road and Jacksonville at home.

The Steelers also play a Sunday night game at Denver on Oct. 21. Their only Thursday night game will be at St. Louis on Dec. 20, four days after they play Jacksonville at home. Because of that Thursday night game, the Steelers will have a nine-day break between games during Christmas week before closing the regular season at Baltimore on Dec. 30.

With so many home games crowded around the two Monday night games, the Steelers will go nearly a month without playing a home game early in the season, from Oct. 7 (Seattle) until Nov. 5 (Baltimore). During that stretch, they will have their bye during the weekend of Oct. 14 before playing at Denver (Oct. 21) and Cincinnati (Oct. 28).

Other Steelers home games are Sept. 16 against Buffalo, Tomlin's first home game since succeeding Bill Cowher as coach, and Sept. 23 against San Francisco.

After playing four Sunday home games at 4:15 p.m. last season, the Steelers aren't scheduled for any in 2007, although the league's flex scheduling allows for game times to be changed on short notice past Week 11.

<B>Preseason</B>Sun., Aug. 5, New Orleans, at Canton, Ohio, 8 p.m.Sat., Aug. 11, Green Bay, 7:30 p.m.Sat., Aug. 18, at Washington, 8 p.m.Sun., Aug. 26, Philadelphia, 8 p.m.Thurs., Aug. 30, at Carolina, 8 p.m.<B>Regular Season</B>Sun., Sept. 9, at Cleveland, 1 p.m.Sun., Sept. 16, Buffalo, 1 p.m.Sun., Sept. 23, San Francisco, 1 p.m.Sun. Sept. 30, at Arizona, 4:15 p.m.Sun., Oct. 7, Seattle, 1 p.m.Sun., Oct. 14, Bye.Sun, Oct. 21, at Denver, 8:15 p.m.Sun., Oct. 28, at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.Mon., Nov. 5, Baltimore, 8:30 p.m.Sun., Nov. 11, Cleveland, 1 p.m.Sun., Nov. 18, at New York Jets, 1 p.m.Mon., Nov. 26, Miami, 8:30 p.m.Sun., Dec. 2, Cincinnati, 8:15 p.m.Sun., Dec. 9, at New England, 1 p.m.Sun., Dec. 16, Jacksonville, 1 p.m.Thurs., Dec. 20, at St. Louis, 8:15 p.m.Sun., Dec. 30, at Baltimore, 1 p.m.