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BRONCOS-RAIDERS IN 500TH MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TELECAST; AFC WEST RIVALS MEET FOR RECORD 13TH TIME ON MNF“D” represents 500 in Roman numerals. “Denver” represents the home of the 500th Monday Night Football telecast when the Denver Broncos (6-2) host the Oakland Raiders (4-4) in an AFC West prime-time showdown (ABC, 9:00 PM ET). A Broncos win could ensure the club another week in the AFC West roller coaster’s lead car (they’re tied with 6-2 San Diego), while Oakland, after starting 4-0, seeks its early-season form to mount a charge for three straight AFC West titles “We’re a confident football team,” says Raiders quarterback RICH GANNON, who owns the AFC’s top passer rating of 96.7 and six 300-yard games this season (the NFL record is nine, accomplished four times). “The only way to correct our current situation is to win a game. Denver is probably the best opponent we’ve played to date. “We’re not going to waver. The same team that lost four in a row is the same team that won four in a row.” Despite four forgettable Sundays, the Raiders possess the NFL’s No. 1 offense (407.4) and average 28.3 points per game. Denver counters with the AFC’s top-ranked defense (270.8) and the league’s best “D” against the run (74.3). In addition, Denver head coach MIKE SHANAHAN is 12-2 against Oakland (7-0 at home) and has the Broncos at 5-2 following byes. Raiders head coach BILL CALLAHAN calls Denver “the most complete team in the National Football League.” One of the Broncos’ most “complete” players is linebacker AL WILSON, who went from a coverage linebacker to an every-down player when former teammate BILL ROMANOWSKI joined Oakland as a free agent after six years with Denver. “Being on the field every play gives me a chance to get into the rhythm of the game and I start to get a feel for what is going on and what a team is trying to do,” says Wilson. “Sometimes I can just read plays before they happen.” BRONCOS-RAIDERS MNF NOTES “Rainy days and Mondays” gave The Carpenters the blues in 1971 (one year after MNF’s debut), but Oakland’s JERRY RICE excels on the first day of the workweek. The 40-year-old, who is tied for fifth in AFC receptions (51), holds the all-time Monday Night Football record for touchdowns (32) and catches (220). Rice and TIM BROWN (44 receptions this season) are both as strong as ever and combine for 19.8 miles of career NFL receiving yards. Oakland moves by land, too, with nine-year rusher CHARLIE GARNER on pace for his third career 1,000-yard season (518). Broncos defensive end TREVOR PRYCE will attempt to make Gannon hurry in the pocket and add to his 7.0 sacks, which tie with Tennessee’s KEVIN CARTER for most in the AFC. Pryce is vying to be the first Denver player to lead the conference in sacks. The league’s longest active streak of consecutive games with a TD pass belongs to the Broncos’ BRIAN GRIESE with 23. Running back CLINTON PORTIS leads NFL rookie rushers with 562 yards to go with his five touchdowns (one receiving). The meeting marks the 13th time these clubs have played each other on Monday night, with Denver leading the series 6-5-1. No NFL series has been featured more on Monday Night Football – the longest-running prime-time entertainment series in TV history (33 years). As Oakland’s head coach (1969-78), Monday Night Football color analyst JOHN MADDEN was 8-1-1 at Denver. TV’s longest continuously-running prime-time entertainment series: PROGRAM
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