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DENVER -- Quarterbacks Dan Marino and John Elway, who had faced off only once in their first 15 NFL seasons, will meet for the second time in 19 days in Saturday's AFC divisional playoff game.

	Dan Marino and John Elway have met only twice since they entered the NFL in 1984.

It figures to be their last, given Elway's expected retirement.

Marino brings his Miami Dolphins to Mile High Stadium for a rematch with Elway's Denver Broncos, who succumbed to the Dolphins 31-21 on Dec. 21 in Miami.

"It is kind of odd that we went all those years without playing a regular-season game," Marino said on Tuesday. "Now it's been -- what? -- three weeks, and we're going to play them again. That's just the way things work out sometimes."

Until the recent Monday night encounter, Marino and Elway, co-valedictorians of the Quarterback Class of 1983, had squared off only in 1985, when the Dolphins beat the Broncos 30-26 at Mile High.

That leaves Marino with a 2-0 record in games against Elway. He has clearly outplayed Elway in both games, throwing for 745 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception, compared to Elway's 401 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.

Marino and Elway are the only quarterbacks in NFL history to pass for 50,000 yards. Marino has 58,913 and Elway 51,475, and Marino leads his counterpart in nearly every other statistical category.

However, Elway has an NFL-record 148 victories as a starter to Marino's 142. And, in the most coveted category of all, Elway has one Super Bowl ring, which he captured last January, and Marino is ringless.

There is a sense that Marino would chuck it all for one ring.

Elway was the sentimental favorite of the fans and many players to win a ring last season. Is it Marino's turn?

"I don't necessarily feel that way," Marino said. "If I'm lucky enough to get close enough to that, and hopefully that's the case, it will be great.

"Right now, I'm thinking about going to Denver and winning this game and moving on. If it comes up and that's the case, that would be outstanding. I would relish the chance to have that opportunity."

Marino watched in admiration -- and a little bit of envy -- when Elway and the Broncos beat Green Bay 31-24 last Jan. 25.

"I was happy for him," Marino said, "because he had a chance, and he worked so hard his whole career, and it was exciting to see."

Asked on Tuesday if he would feel sorry for Marino if the Broncos, favored by 13 points, prevail this weekend, Elway said with a laugh, "No, because I know that he's got 10 years left. Actually, he said he was going to play two or three more years, so he'll get his shots."

Elway, 38, who has said this is his last season, said Marino's desire to stay in the game "has a lot to do with having that Super Bowl ring. Maybe he would think differently about it if he had that ring. I'd like to talk to him about it. I know how I feel physically. Maybe he feels a heck of a lot better than I do."

The two quarterbacks, good friends off the field, have a mutual admiration for each other.

"Dan is so competitive, and he's a winner," Elway said. "When you look back at what he's done statistically throughout the years, and being able to do it consistently over a long period, to me that's greatness. His quick release is probably the thing that stands out most."

Marino said he respected Elway's toughness and "his ability to throw any pass on the field at any time. The thing that he does so great is he can create on his own by moving out of the pocket, and making plays downfield, and also running it."

As for his future, Marino, 37, said he was "not putting any timetable on it. I'd like to continue to play. I'm just going to enjoy what I'm doing right now, and whatever the future brings, it brings."

Would he walk away if he wins a Super Bowl? "I'm not sure. That's something that you don't even think about."