The Broncos make their first-ever regular season appearance at Jacksonville as this always-interesting series is renewed once again.

Including playoffs, Denver owns a 3-1 edge in the series standings (all of those games at Mile High Stadium) and have prevailed in the last 2 meetings, including a 37-24 triumph last season (Week 8) as Broncos RB Terrell Davis ran for 136 yards and three touchdowns and PK Jason Elam tied the NFL record with a 63-yard field goal.

Worth noting is that the four contests in this series (including a pair of playoff meetings) have produced a total of 231 points, an average of 57.8 points per game.

Numbers: Including playoffs (1997-99), the Broncos are 36-4 when they total more rushing attempts than their opponent, 1-10 when Denver's opponent totals more rushing attempts. The Broncos have forced 12 turnovers in four wins, eight turnovers in eight losses in '99.

In their first four seasons in the NFL (1995-98), Jaguars held an opponent without an offensive touchdown just three times in 64 games (3-of-70, including playoffs). In '99, Jaguars have not allowed an offensive touchdown in 5-of-12 contests. QB Mark Brunell has totaled 300 or more yards passing in three straight games. In his last three games, Jaguars WR Jimmy Smith has totaled 29 receptions for 476 yards and three touchdowns, totaling 100 or more yards receiving and scoring at least one touchdown in each of those contests.

After gaining a franchise-low 132 total yards in a 6-3 victory over the Ravens in Week 10, the Jaguars have totaled 1,348 yards (449.3 YPG) and scored 91 points in their last three contests (3-0). Including playoffs, the Jags have seen a player gain 100 or more yards rushing in 13 of their last 30 games dating back to 1998, more than doubling the number of 100-yard rushing performances (5) that the Jaguars managed in the regular- and postseason combined (5) during their first three years in the NFL (1995-97). Including playoffs, they have forced 55 turnovers in 23 wins, eight turnovers in seven losses dating back to '98. The Jaguars have allowed 111 points in 11 wins, 20 points in one loss in '99.

They have totaled 47 sacks in 12 games in '99, this after totaling just 30 sacks in 16 games in '98. The Jaguars have totaled three or more sacks in 10-of-12 contests in '99. They have limited the opposition to 10 or fewer points in 8-of-12 contests in '99. The Jaguars have committed eight turnovers in 11 wins, four turnovers in one loss in '99. RB James Stewart has scored at least one touchdown in three straight games and 8-of-12 contests in '99.

Things to look for: It's been a very long year for Mike Shanahan and it doesn't get any easier this week against a fired-up Jacksonville team that has a second straight national television appearance to show the rest of the league that they're the team to beat. Denver's inconsistent defense will have its hands full with an improving Jaguars' attack that is starting to click, although it's far from perfect.

Etc.: The Jaguars are 11-1 for the first time ever and have won nine straight games for the first time in the team's 5-year history (1995-99).

The Broncos are making their third of three Monday night appearances this season (1-1 in '99) and are just 19-22-1 lifetime on Monday Night Football, including just 5-16 on the road. The Broncos are 7-3 on Monday Night Football under head coach Mike Shanahan. Shanahan owns an 8-4 mark on Monday Night Football with the Broncos (7-3 from 1995-99) and Raiders (1-1 in 1988). The Broncos are 5-10 in their last 15 regular-season contests dating back to '98.

The Jaguars are making their second of two Monday night appearances this season (1-0 in '99) and are 4-0 lifetime on Monday Night Football, including 3-0 at home. Including playoffs, the Jaguars are 49-33 in their 82-game history (1995-99), 27-12 vs. the AFC Central and 22-21 vs. the rest of the NFL (3-2 in playoffs). Including playoffs, they have won four straight home games and are 26-3 in their last 29 home games dating back to 1996. The Jaguars are 38-11 in their last 49 regular-season games (41-14, including playoffs) dating back to 1996, this after managing just an 8-19 record in their first 27 contests dating back to their debut season in 1995