The first-ever Monday night game in Tennessee.

An important divisional game between the AFC Central’s two 1999 playoff squads.

A rematch of the ’99 AFC Championship Game.

Those are some of the story lines of ABC’s NFL Monday Night Football’s matchup as the Jacksonville Jaguars visit the Tennessee Titans this week.

What’s more, if the six Monday-nighters played this season are any indication, a close game is likely as well. Five of the season’s six Monday-night contests have been decided by seven points or less, with those five games in doubt into the final minutes.

In addition, the Jacksonville-Tennessee regular-season series has been full of close calls. Nine of the 10 all-time meetings between the clubs have been decided by eight points or less

"This is a game that both clubs circled when the schedule came out," says Tennessee coach JEFF FISHER. "This is a huge matchup and a great rivalry. Regardless of what happened last week, the first five weeks, or even last year, this game has significance. I still think if you're going to talk about rivalry in the AFC, you can't afford to look past Jaguars-Titans. It’s going to be one that people are not going to want to miss."

The players are excited as well.

"It's a big, heated rivalry," says Titans safety BLAINE BISHOP. "That's what happens when the Jaguars had so much success early. They were the team to go after. We feel like we'll have to play our best game to win."

The Titans have won 18 of their past 20 AFC Central games – the best division record of any club since 1998 – and seek to maintain their perfect 10-0 record at Adelphia Coliseum.

Jacksonville coach TOM COUGHLIN acknowledges that Adelphia is a tough trip. "The Titans are a good football team," says Coughlin. "They've been at the stadium for a year and a half. The crowd is very much into it. They certainly played with enthusiasm when we played them there last year. I've seen that in most games that I've watched them play."

In 1999, the Jaguars lost only three times – all to Tennessee. After the Titans swept the regular-season series, they won the AFC Championship Game in Jacksonville.

"We are extremely aware of and continuously reminded of the fact that Tennessee beat us at home twice last year and once on the road," says Coughlin. "So it's a big game for our team and it's a divisional game."

A focal point for both teams, especially in divisional play, has been the quarterbacks. Tennessee’s STEVE

MC NAIR, who threw a career-high five touchdown passes against the Jaguars in the last meeting in Tennessee, is 17-9 (.654) in career division starts. Jacksonville’s MARK BRUNELL is 27-12 (.692) against AFC Central foes – the best division record among active quarterbacks (minimum 25 starts).

Coughlin is wary of McNair. "He can scramble, he's extremely strong, and he's extremely difficult to tackle," he says. "If you're not responsible and aware of containment all the time, you're going to get in trouble."

Fisher is equally impressed with Brunell. "Mark is reading and seeing the field well and has overcome the fact that he has significant lineup changes in front of him," Fisher says. "He is still delivering the ball down the field. He has two receivers who have nearly 100 catches already after six games. They've got almost 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns."

Following are additional notes on this week’s Jaguars-Titans Monday-night matchup:

• The visiting team has won nine of 11 all-time meetings (including 1-0 in the playoffs).

• The game features Tennessee’s AFC-best pass defense (157.6 yards per game) against Jacksonville’s AFC No. 3 pass offense (238.8 yards per game).

• The Jaguars are playing in their third prime-time game in four weeks. They are 5-1 all-time on MNF.

• The Jaguars have won eight of their past 11 road games.