The Bengals make their way to Tennessee as they collide with the Titans (formerly the Oilers) on opening day for the second consecutive season.

Including playoffs, the Titans own a two-game edge in this AFC Central setting (31-29-1) and have prevailed in 12 of the last 16 meetings between the clubs dating back to 1991.

Last season, Tennessee swept this usually-entertaining rivalry for the first time since 1993; on opening day in Cincinnati (Week 1), Titans' RB Eddie George ran for 86 yards and a touchdown and PK Al Del Greco added three field goals as Jeff Fisher's club posted a 23-14 victory.

Six weeks later at Vanderbilt Stadium (Week 7), Titans' QB Steve McNair threw for 277 yards and a touchdown, plus ran for another score as Jeff Fisher's club rolled up 515 total yards in a lopsided 44-14 win.

Bengals have dropped 2 straight at Tennessee (by a combined score of 74-21) and are just 2-12 in their last 14 road tilts in this series dating back to 1985 (2-10 at Houston, 0-2 at Tennessee).

Numbers: In six games vs. Cincinnati, Titans' RB Eddie George has carried 135 times for 538 yards (4.0 avg.) and two touchdowns--rushing for 100 or more yards in three of those six contests. In 54 career starts with the Bengals (1994-97), Bengals' QB Jeff Blake is 22-32, throwing 76 touchdown passes and 47 interceptions while being sacked 133 times in those 54 contests. The Bengals have allowed 200 or more yards rushing in 5 of their last 15 games dating back to '98. The Titans have limited the opposition to 17 or fewer points in 16 of their last 28 contests dating back to '97. After giving up just 5 touchdown passes in their first 7 games, Titans allowed 19 TD passes in their last 9 contests in '98

Things To Look For: Following another troubling summer, things don't look much different for the bumbling Bengals, who still have their share of talented players on both sides of scrimmage, but still haven't put the pieces together. Meanwhile, Jeff Fisher has his own pressures in Tennessee knowing a fourth straight 8-8 season is unacceptable. At least the Titans figure to get off to a good start here.

Etc.: The Titans are playing in their fourth different home stadium (Astrodome in '96, Liberty Bowl in '97, Vanderbilt Stadium in '98, Adelphia Coliseum in '99) in as many seasons. Over the past eight years (1991-98), the Bengals are a combined 11-53 over the first half of the season. They are 17-24 under Bruce Coslet dating back to '96. Since 1995, the Titans are 7-9 at home vs. AFC Central foes and 10-6 on the road in divisional contests. Since 1995, the Titans are 14-18 at home and 17-15 on the road. Titans' PK Al Del Greco (1,360) needs 5 points to tie Fred Cox (1,365) for 13th place on the NFL's all-time scoring list. Del Greco (299) needs 1 field goal to tie both Matt Bahr (300) and Mark Moseley (300) for 10th place on the NFL's all-time field goals list and become the 12th player in NFL history to kick 300 field goals