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When the NFL released its schedule Thursday, couch potatoes from New England to New Orleans rejoiced. And with good reason.

Games can be seen on ESPN, CBS, NBC, Fox and the NFL Network on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and an occasional Saturday this season. Day games can turn into night games if they have enough appeal late in the season, and night games will appear 42 times, up from 35 last season.

Anywhere you look this fall, the NFL is sure to pop up.

But is it too much? Is the market becoming over-saturated?

Steelers president Art Rooney II acknowledged yesterday that there were discussions around the league on that very topic.

"We always talk about it," Rooney said. "I think we've done OK with that, so far. I don't think we're really adding too many games in this package."

The Steelers will play at least four prime-time games, including the opener Thursday, Sept. 7, against Miami at Heinz Field on NBC and a Monday night game the following week -- Sept. 18 at Jacksonville on ESPN.

Seth Palansky, a spokesman for the NFL Network, said the league was giving its fan base what it wants: Lots of football.

"It's not over-saturation; it's trying to keep up with the insatiable appetite of our fans," Palansky said. "We are very cognizant of our television patterns and, having eight more games in prime time as the race for the playoffs heats up, is a benefit to our fans, teams and even fellow broadcasters."

The Steelers' two other prime-time games are Sunday, Oct. 8, in San Diego on NBC and Thursday, Dec. 7, at Heinz Field against the Cleveland Browns on the NFL Network. The Browns game also will be shown locally on a free, over-the-air station that has yet to be identified.

The Steelers could find themselves playing more prime-time games in the late stages of the season because of the NFL's flexible scheduling. In Weeks 10-15 and 17, NBC will choose a game scheduled for Sunday afternoon and move it into the 8 p.m. slot. NBC will give the teams 12 days' notice, except in Week 17, when they'll give six days' notice to ensure they select a game with playoff implications.

CBS and Fox, which carry Sunday-afternoon NFL games, each will be able to protect a total of five games in the seven weeks of flexible scheduling, but not more than one game in any week. That could mean, for example, that CBS might not want to give up the rights to the Steelers' regular-season finale in Cincinnati that is scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 31, but the game might be attractive in prime time if the teams are playing for the AFC North title.

"As I understand it, we could have two more (games) moved (to prime time)," Rooney said. "I think the maximum that you can be on national television is six. So, with four already scheduled, we potentially could have two more that could be moved. I would expect that we will have at least one moved. I think there are more changes to come."

As the league prepares to introduce audiences to Sunday night games on NBC, Monday night games on ESPN and Thursday night games on the NFL Network, Rooney said no other changes need to be made regarding scheduling matters.

"There have been discussions about adding games to the regular season, which I think would be a mistake. And expanding the playoffs, which I think would be a mistake," Rooney said. "We've got just the right amount of NFL football on TV, and the fan reaction has been strong.

"We're making some changes; they're good changes. I don't think we're going too far, but you have to be careful about those things in the future."

Of the Steelers final seven games, five are against AFC North opponents, including back-to-back contests against Baltimore at Heinz Field on Dec. 24 and at Cincinnati to conclude the regular season. Their first six games are against difficult challengers, including Miami in the opener at home, at Jacksonville, at home against the Bengals, at San Diego, at home against Kansas City and at Atlanta. Ten of the Steelers' 16 games are against teams that finished with a record of .500 or better last season.

Notes: The Steelers signed wideout/returner Eugene Baker to a one-year contract yesterday. Baker, a Shady Side Academy and Kent State grad, played his first four seasons in Atlanta (he was drafted in the fifth round in 1999) and the past two in Carolina, where he returned two kicks for 39 yards and eight punts for 49 yards in four games. A native of Monroeville, Baker hasn't caught a pass since his rookie season (he has seven total) and has spent much of his career on practice squads. ... Scott Smith, the agent for restricted free agent cornerback Ike Taylor, continues to seek a long-term contract for Taylor, who is the only starter on the Steelers defense not signed through at least 2007. Strong safety Troy Polamalu is signed through 2007.

Click here to see all of the 2006 NFL schedules.

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Steelers 2006 preseason schedule
Date	Opponent	Time (TV)
Saturday, Aug. 12	at Arizona	4:05 p.m. (KDKA)
Saturday, Aug. 19	MINNESOTA	8 p.m. (KDKA)
Friday, Aug. 25	at Philadelphia	8 p.m. (ESPN)
Thursday, Aug. 31	CAROLINA	7:30 p.m. (KDKA)
Steelers 2006 regular season schedule
Date	Opponent	Time (TV)
Thursday, Sept. 7	MIAMI	8:30 P.M. (NBC)
Monday, Sept. 18	at Jacksonville	8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sunday, Sept. 24	CINCINNATI	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 1	Bye
Sunday, Oct. 8	at San Diego	8:15 p.m. (NBC)
Sunday, Oct. 15	KANSAS CITY	4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 22	at Atlanta	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Oct. 29	at Oakland	4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Nov. 5	DENVER	4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Nov. 12*	NEW ORLEANS	1 p.m. (FOX)
Sunday, Nov. 19*	at Cleveland	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Nov. 26*	at Baltimore	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 3*	TAMPA BAY	1 p.m. (FOX)
Thursday, Dec. 7*	CLEVELAND	8 p.m. (NFL Network)
Sunday, Dec. 17*	at Carolina	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 24	BALTIMORE	1 p.m. (CBS)
Sunday, Dec. 31*	at Cincinnati	1 p.m. (CBS)

* Times and TV network may change due to flexible scheduling

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