Steelers scheduled to play 5 prime time games during inaugural 17-game regular season

May 13—For the inaugural 17-game NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers will open and close their schedule on the road.

They will play five games in prime time, including three at Heinz Field. And they will close the year with four games against teams that went a combined 47-17 last season.

For the seventh year in a row, the Steelers will open on the road when they face the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Stadium at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12.

It's the first time since 1978 — the previous time the NFL expanded the regular season, from 14 to 16 games — the Steelers have opened against Buffalo.

The home opener will take place one week later: Sept. 19 against the Las Vegas Raiders. It's the first of nine home games for the Steelers in the regular season and begins a stretch of six games at Heinz Field in an eight-game span. The team's bye is in Week 7.

The Steelers will have no more than two games consecutive on the home or road, and they will play both games against the Cincinnati Bengals before their first against the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers conclude the season Jan. 9 at Baltimore, six days after they play the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field.

That game will mark Cleveland's first visit to Pittsburgh since the Browns pulled off the 48-37 upset in the AFC wild-card round in January.

In addition to Baltimore and Cleveland, the Steelers have Tennessee (home) and Kansas City (road) in the closing stretch. The Chiefs were 14-2 last season, and the Browns, Ravens and Titans each finished 11-5.

Based on the records from last season, the Steelers have the NFL's most difficult schedule (.574 winning percentage).

The Steelers will play under the lights at home against Seattle on Oct. 17, Chicago on Nov. 8 and Cleveland on Jan. 3, the latter two being on Monday night. Road prime time games will come Nov. 21 at the Los Angeles Chargers and Dec. 9 at Minnesota, which is the Steelers' annual Thursday night game.

"It's kind of a mixed bag," Steelers president Art Rooney II told the team's website. "Obviously, night games are a little tougher for the fans, but we get the benefit of the big national audience and our fans across the country get to tune in. We'll take as many prime time games as we can get, all things considered."

The NFL also released the four-game preseason schedule for the Steelers.

After playing in Hall of Fame game against the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 5, the Steelers will visit the Philadelphia Eagles on Aug. 12, play at home against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 21 and close the preseason Aug. 27 at the Carolina Panthers.

After the preseason concludes, the Steelers won't play again for 16 days.

A breakdown of the 2021 schedule:

Week 1, Sept. 12: at Buffalo, 1 p.m.: Last three meetings between the teams have taken place in December.

Week 2, Sept. 19: vs. Las Vegas, 1 p.m.: First game against the Raiders since the team's relocation from Oakland.

Week 3, Sept. 26: vs. Cincinnati, 1 p.m.: Steelers have won five in a row against the Bengals at Heinz Field.

Week 4, Oct. 3 at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m.: Aaron Rodgers never has faced Steelers at Lambeau Field. Will he be traded before he gets the chance?

Week 5, Oct. 10 vs. Denver, 1 p.m.: Broncos visit Heinz Field for second year in a row but just third time in Mike Tomlin era.

Week 6, Oct. 17 vs. Seattle, 8:20 p.m. (SNF): Seahawks return to scene of Ben Roethlisberger's season-ending right elbow injury in 2019.

Week 7: BYE

Week 8, Oct. 31, at Cleveland, 1 p.m.: Steelers haven't won at FirstEnergy Stadium since 2017, going 0-2-1 since.

Week 9, Nov. 8 vs. Chicago, 8:15 p.m. (MNF): Bears are 2-4 in Pittsburgh since AFL-NFL merger, although they defeated Steelers, 40-23, in most recent visit in 2013.

Week 10, Nov. 14 vs. Detroit, 1 p.m.: Steelers are 9-0-1 against the Lions at home since 1955. The streak began at Forbes Field and has carried through three more stadiums.

Week 11, Nov. 21 at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:20 p.m. (SNF): After playing at tiny Digital Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., in 2019, Steelers get first look at $5 billion SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.

Week 12, Nov. 28 at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.: Seven-game winning streak at Paul Brown Stadium was snapped in 2020 when Bengals pulled off 27-17 upset.

Week 13, Dec. 5 vs. Baltimore, 4:25 p.m.: Steelers are 4-0 at home in December against the Ravens in the Tomlin era.

Week 14, Dec. 9 at Minnesota, 8:20 p.m. (TNF): Visit to Minnesota will be second for Steelers since 1986. Last "road" game vs. Vikings was contested in London.

Week 15, Dec. 19 vs. Tennessee, 1 p.m.: Victory in 2013 season opener is only one for Titans in past five trips to Heinz Field.

Week 16 Dec. 26, at Kansas City, 4:25 p.m.: Steelers have won three of past four trips to Arrowhead Stadium, including divisional playoff game after 2016 season.

Week 17, Jan. 3 vs. Cleveland, 8:15 p.m. (MNF): After recording wild-card playoff win in January, Browns are looking to take two in a row in Pittsburgh for first time since 1988-89.

Week 18, Jan. 9 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.: Steelers have won three of past four games at M&T Bank Stadium, the only loss coming in the 2019 season finale.

Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe by email at jrutter@triblive.com or via Twitter .