Two teams looking to get back on track will meet when the San Francisco 49ers host the Green Bay Packers tonight on ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football.

Despite San Francisco’s recent struggles (3-7), head coach STEVE MARIUCCI looks forward to playing on Monday night and believes it will invigorate his team.

"It is really a thrill to play on Monday night in front of a national audience," says Mariucci. "The team is charged up and there's an energy in the crowd. It's just a great experience."

The Packers had one of their best performances of the season in Week 11 in a 26-17 win over the Detroit Lions (7-4), tied with the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers for first place in the NFC Central division.

"We’re 5-5 and we’re ready to take a road trip to San Francisco," says Packers head coach RAY Rhodes. "We’ve got to make sure that we keep the same urgency and that we keep working hard. We dug a hole for ourselves and the only thing we can do is try to fight our way out of it one game at a time."

The teams have met six times in the past four seasons, including four times in the playoffs. Green Bay is 5-1 in that span, losing to the 49ers in a Wild Card game last season.

Rhodes knows the 49ers are still a talented and dangerous team despite their record.

"Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and J.J. Stokes are still big factors," says Rhodes. "Charlie Garner has probably done more than anyone expected. He has a healthy 5.0 average and when he touches the ball, he’s the type of guy you have to deal with."

Mariucci equally respects any team with quarterback BRETT FAVRE.

"Any team with Brett Favre can be a great team," says Mariucci. "He is one of a kind and has the ability to carry a team on his back."

49ERS-PACKERS DID YOU KNOW?

• Packers head coach RAY RHODES has five Super Bowl rings, all as an assistant coach/coordinator with San Francisco (1981-91, 1994).

• 49ers head coach STEVE MARIUCCI was the Packers quarterbacks coach from 1992-95.

• 49ers wide receiver JERRY RICE set the Monday Night Football record for most receiving yards (289) and tied Detroit’s HERMAN MOORE for most catches (14) on a Monday-night game on December 18, 1995. He also tied six other players (including himself) for most receiving TDs (3) on a Monday night in that game.

• Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE is 5-1 in six games against the 49ers and has passed for 1,566 yards and 10 touchdowns in those meetings.

• Favre needs 376 yards passing for his eighth-consecutive 3,000-yard season, breaking a tie with JOHN ELWAY (1985-91) for second place all-time. Favre and Elway trail only DAN MARINO, who passed for nine 3,000-yard seasons in a row from 1984-92.

• Packers wide receiver ANTONIO FREEMAN had 11 catches for 268 yards and four touchdowns in two games against the 49ers in 1998.

• The Packers lead the NFC with 20 interceptions, including nine by rookies.

• The 49ers intercepted Favre five times in two games in 1998.

• 49ers safety LANCE SCHULTERS leads the NFC with six interceptions. The last 49er to lead the conference was RONNIE LOTT, who led the league with 10 in 1986.