With the Broncos appearing in Super Bowl XXXIII, it marks the 17th time a team has made consecutive Super Bowl appearances and the 10th time the defending Super Bowl champion has returned to the Super Bowl.

Defending champions are 6-3 in their second Super Bowl, and a victory by the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII would make Denver the sixth different franchise to defend its Super Bowl title, and the seventh time in NFL history that a team has captured back-to-back Super Bowls. Steelers accomplished the feat twice.

The Broncos (16-2) are making their AFC-best sixth Super Bowl appearance. The play at Miami for the second time this season to face the Falcons for the first time this seaon. Atlanta (16-2) is making its first Super Bowl appearance.

These infrequent foes collide for the second straight year. The Broncos own a 6-3 edge in the series and they have prevailed in the last four meetings, most recently a 29-21 triumph at the Georgia Dome last season in Week 5. That was Broncos QB John Elway's first game against former Broncos coach Dan Reeves, and he completed 18-of-33 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted only once, and Mike Shanahan's club jumped out to a 23-0 second-quarter advantage and held on for the victory.

Numbers: Including the playoffs, Denver has scored 30 or more points in 35 of 71 games under Shanahan from 1995 to 1998. In 18 games this season, including the playoffs, Denver has outscored the opposition 158-51 in the first quarter and 321-147 in the first half.

Including the playoffs, Broncos RB Terrell Davis has scored in 30 of his last 37 contests dating back to 1997. Including the playoffs, Davis has rushed for 100 or more yards in 27 of his last 37 contests dating back to 1997. In his last six NFL seasons, Elway has thrown for 21,259 yards, 142 touchdown passes and just 69 interceptions in 90 games.

In his first 10 NFL seasons (1983-92), Elway threw for 30,216 yards, 158 touchdown passes and 157 interceptions in 144 games. In eight playoff games in his last six NFL seasons (1993-98), Elway has thrown for 1,609 yards, 10 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. In 13 playoffs games -- 12 starts -- in his first 10 NFL seasons (1983-92), Elway threw for 3,019 yards, 16 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions.

Including the playoffs, Denver limited the opposition to fewer than 100 yards rushing in four straight games, allowing a combined total of 88 yards rushing (1.3 yards per attempt) in those contests. Including the playoffs, Denver has outrushed the opposition 623-52 in their last their games, winning all three games.

From 1988-93, Chris Chandler owned a combined 15-24 record as a starter with the Colts, Buccaneers and Cardinals, throwing 39 touchdown passes and 58 interceptions. From 1994-98, including the playoffs, Chandler is a combined 35-26 as a starter with the Rams, Oilers and Falcons, throwing 88 TD passes and just 43 interceptions.

In his last 13 starts in 1998, including the playoffs, Chandler is 13-0, throwing 23 touchdown passes and just 9 interceptions. He has thrown two or more touchdown passes in 10 of those contests.

Including the playoffs, Falcons RB Jamal Anderson has rushed for 100 or more yards in 13 of his last 16 contests. Including the playoffs, Atlanta has scored 469 points in 16 wins (29.3 per game), but just 23 points in two losses (11.5 per game) in 1998.

Including the playoffs, Atlanta has held the opposition to fewer than 100 yards rushing in eight of their last 11 contests. Including the playoffs, Atlanta has limited the opposition to fewer than 250 yards of total offense in six of their last 11 contests.

The coaches: Shanahan is 6-1 in postseason play while Reeves is 10-7 in postseason play (7-6 with Broncos, 1-1 with Giants, 2-0 with Falcons).

Shanahan is 1-0 as a coach in Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XXXII with the Broncos, but he is making his sixth Super Bowl appearance as part of a coaching staff, also serving as Denver's offensive coordinator in Super Bowls XXI and XXII and the Broncos quarterbacks coach in Super Bowl XXIV. He earned championship ring as the 49ers offensive coordinator in Super Bowl XXIX.

Reeves is 0-3 as a head coach in Super Bowls, losing Super Bowls XXI, XXII and XXIV with the Broncos. But he is making his ninth Super Bowl appearance, serving as a player/coach in Super Bowls V and VI for the Dallas Cowboys, running backs coach for the Cowboys in Super Bowl X and offensive coordinator for Dallas in Super Bowls XII and XIII. Reeves earned championship rings in Super Bowls VI and XII.

Shanahan owns a 61-30 record (.670) as a head coach (8-12 with the Raiders from 1988-89, 53-18 with the Broncos from 1995-98. He has never suffered through a losing season with the Broncos while Reeves owns a 172-124-1 record (.581) as a head coach (117-79-1 with the Broncos from 1981-92, 32-34 with the Giants from 1993-96, 23-11 with the Falcons from 1997-98).

Reeves is just the third coach in NFL history to take two different teams to the Super Bowl (Don Shula: Colts and Dolphins; Bill Parcells: Giants and Patriots). Shanahan is 1-1 lifetime against the Falcons (0-1 with the Raiders, 1-0 with the Broncos). Reeves is 0-1 lifetime against the Broncos after the Falcons' loss to Denver last season. Shanahan is 3-1 lifetime vs. Reeves (2-1 with Raiders vs. Broncos, 1-0 with Broncos vs. Falcons).

The Coaches II: A victory over the Falcons would make Shanahan the 11th head coach in NFL history to win two Super Bowls, and just the fifth different head coach to win consecutive Super Bowl championships -- Pittsburgh's Chuck Noll did it twice.

Reeves is just the seventh head coach in NFL history to make at least four Super Bowl appearances. With a loss to the Broncos, Reeves will become the fourth coach in league history to lose four Super Bowls. Reeves is the first coach in Super Bowl history to lead a team to the Super Bowl and later coach against that same team in the Super Bowl. Weeb Ewbank led the Baltimore Colts to a pair of NFL championships in 1958 and 1959 and then coached the Jets against the Colts in Super Bowl III.

Postseason history: The Broncos are making their third consecutive and 13th playoff appearance. They are 15-11 in postseason play. The Falcons are making their sixth playoff appearancee, and they are 4-5 in postseason play.

Super Bowl experience: The Broncos are making their sixth Super Bowl appearance, and they lost four of their first five:
Lost to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XII (27-10) at the New Orleans' Superdome
Lost to the N.Y. Giants in Super Bowl XXI (39-20) at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Lost to the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII (42-10) at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego
Lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV (55-10) at the New Orleans' Superdome
Denver beat the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII (31-24) at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego

Denver has been outscored a combined 187-81 in five Super Bowl appearances, going 1-4. The Broncos are one of three NFL teams with four Super Bowl losses. The Bills and Vikings have also lost four. A loss to Atlanta would make Denver the first team in NFL history to lose five Super Bowls.

The Falcons are making their first Super Bowl appearance.

Super Bowl experience II: The Broncos are making their sixth Super Bowl appearance, which trails only the Dallas Cowboys (8) in Super Bowl history.

Championship info: The Broncos will be seeking their second NFL championship while the Falcons will be seeking their first NFL championship.

The site: This marks the eighth Super Bowl for the city of Miami, which is tied with New Orleans for the most in Super Bowl history. It will be the third Super Bowl played in Pro Player Stadium, formerly known as Joe Robbie Stadium.

In the two previous Super Bowls at Pro Player Stadium:
The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16 in Super Bowl XXXII.
Six years later the 49ers returned and defeated the San Diego Chargers 49-26 in Super Bowl XXIX.

Only five of the previous 32 Super Bowls have been decided by four points or less. Four of those five games have been played in Miami. The average margin of victory in the 32 Super Bowls is 16.3 points. In the seven previous games played in this city, it's 9.4 points per contest. In the other 25 Super Bowls, it's 18.2 points per contest.

The surface/facility: This will be the 20th time in 33 Super Bowls that the game will be played on natural grass. The first Super Bowl played on grass was at Super Bowl I at the L.A. Coliseum.

Records on grass: Including the playoffs, Denver is 14-1 on natural grass this season, the lone loss was at Pro Player Stadium in Week 16 in the Broncos' 31-21 loss to the Dolphins.

The Falcons are 2-1 on natural grass this season and will be playing their first game outdoors and on grass since Week 10 (Nov. 8, 1998). That game was a 41-10 victory at New England.

Records at Pro Player Stadium: The Broncos are 0-1 lifetime at Pro Player Stadium, and 0-5 at Miami. Their last visit to Miami a 31-21 loss to the Dolphins in Week 16 of this season.

The Falcons are 0-2 lifetime at Pro Player Stadium, and 1-4 at Miami. Their last appearance at Pro Player Stadium was a 21-20 loss to the Dolphins in Week 13 of 1995.

AFC vs. NFC: Going back to 1970, the Broncos are 57-47-2 in interconference games (58-51-2 lifetime vs. NFC teams, including Super Bowls XII, XXI, XXII, XXIV and XXXII). The Falcons are 39-66-0 lifetime in interconference games.

The Broncos are 3-1 vs. NFC teams this season while the Falcons are 3-1 vs. AFC teams this season. Including Super Bowl XXXII, Denver is 12-5 vs. NFC teams under head coach Mike Shanahan dating back to 1995 while the Falcons are just 9-15 vs. AFC teams dating back to 1993.

John Elway history lesson: Elway was the first player taken in the 1983 draft by the Colts. He was drafted out of Stanford, but his draft rights were traded to the Denver Broncos on May 2, 1983 for QB Mark Herrmann, the draft rights to T Chris Hinton and the Broncos' first-round draft choice in 1984.

The Broncos coach in 1983 was current Falcons coach Reeves. Elway's first NFL start was on Sept. 4, 1983, at Three Rivers Stadium against the Steelers. He finished the game completing just one of his eight passes for 14 yards, one interception. He lost one lost fumble, was sacked four times and called for intentional grounding before leaving at halftime with a bruised right elbow.

Ironically, Elway's replacement after intermission was Steve DeBerg, the current Falcons' backup. DeBerg led the Broncos to a 14-10 triumph, and Elway got credit for the win as the starter.

DeBerg also replaced a struggling Elway one week later at Baltimore (Sept. 11). This time DeBerg came in the game in the fourth quarter with the score tied at 3-3. Denver eventually won 17-10.

Elway's first game at Mile High Stadium was in Week 3 (Sept. 18, 1983). It was a 13-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, quarterbacked by Ron Jaworski. Elway throw his first NFL touchdown pass -- a 33-yard connection to RB Rick Parros.

Elway has played in 234 regular-season games, starting 231 times and he owns a 148-82-1 regular-season record as a starter. He has played in 21 postseason games (20 starts) and owns a 13-7 postseason record as a starter.

Elway has thrown for 51,475 yards and 300 touchdowns and rushed for 3,407 yards and 33 touchdowns in 234 regular-season games. He has thrown for 4,628 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushed for 459 yards and five touchdowns in 21 postseason games.

Don't want no rematch: The Broncos will be facing their sixth different opponent in as many tries in the Super Bowl -- Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, 49ers, Packers and Falcons.

Things to look for: While most people may have been expecting the Vikings to square off against the defending Super Bowl champions from Mile High country, Reeves and company proved the so-called experts wrong. If the Falcons continue to play with the same efficiency that they've displayed for the majority of this season, their upset at the Metrodome won't rank as the biggest surprise of this NFL campaign.

But the Broncos are the champs until dethroned and relentless RB Terrell Davis has quickly emerged as one of the league's all-time, big-game performers. And while the Falcons' defense is formidable, even the best of defensive units have not found an answer for Denver's running game.

Etc.: Including the playoffs, Denver is 27-6 and the Falcons are 23-6 since Denver defeated Atlanta 29-21 in Week 5 of the 1997 season. Both clubs own identical 21-6 regular-season records since that contest.

The Broncos have won six consecutive postseason games by a combined score of 172-85. Davis has rushed for 100 or more yards in six consecutive postseason games, tying the NFL record co-owned by Washington's John Riggins (1982-83).

With 100 yards rushing vs. Atlanta, Davis would become just the third player to rush for 100 or more yards in consecutive Super Bowls -- Dolphins RB Larry Csonka in Super Bowls VII and VIII and Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith broke the century mark in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII.

Davis has scored in seven consecutive postseason games and needs one rushing touchdown to tie the NFL record currently co-owned by Smith (1993-96) and Buffalo's Thurman Thomas (1992-98).

Including the playoffs, Atlanta has won 11 straight games by a combined score of 317-183 and it is 22-4 in its last 26 contests after opening 1-7 in 1997. Including the playoffs, Atlanta is 22-8 with QB Chris Chandler as the starter while Falcons' backup quarterbacks are 1-3.

Lucky numbers: During the Super Bowl era (1966-98), the Broncos and Falcons are the 31st and 32nd teams to win at least 13 regular-season games and the 21st and 22nd clubs to reach the Super Bowl after winning 13 regular-season games. The previous 20 teams are 13-7 in the Super Bowl, and the 22 teams will be a combined 14-8 in Super Bowls regardless of who wins Super Bowl XXXIII.

Out on a high note: Both the Broncos and Falcons won their regular-season finales in 1998, which means the eventual Super Bowl champion will be a combined 27-6 in season finales, including 20-3 the last 23 seasons.

Ending other droughts: A victory by the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXIII would make them the first team to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles since the Cowboys won Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII. A Broncos' win would also make them just the third AFC team to capture back-to-back Super Bowl titles. Miami won Super Bowls VII and VIII, Pittsburgh won Super Bowls IX and X, as well as XIII and XIV.

A Denver victory would also mark the first time since Super Bowls XIV (Pittsburgh) and XV (Oakland) that the AFC has won consecutive NFL titles. Finally, a Denver victory would make the Broncos the first charter member of the American Football League (1960) to win back-to-back Super Bowls. Miami was an AFL expansion team in 1966, and Pittsburgh joined the AFC in 1970.

The first time's the toughest: The last team to make its Super Bowl debut was the San Diego Chargers (Super Bowl XXIX). The Falcons are the first NFC team making its Super Bowl debut since the N.Y. Giants (Super Bowl XXI).

Super Bowl debutantes have a 2-10 record when facing a team that has already played in the Super Bowl. The lone exceptions are Pittsburgh's over Minnesota in Super Bowl IX and the N.Y. Giants' win over Denver in Super Bowl XXI.

Teams making their first Super Bowl appearance are 6-14 in their Super Bowl debut. That includes the four Super Bowls in which both teams were making their Super Bowl debut:
Green Bay vs. Kansas City in Super Bowl I
N.Y. Jets vs. Baltimore in Super Bowl III
San Francisco vs. Cincinnati in Super Bowl XVI
Chicago vs. New England in Super Bowl XX

Oh, what a rush: Super Bowl XXXIII will feature Davis (2,008) and Anderson (1,846), the first time in Super Bowl history that the league's top two rushers will square off in the Super Bowl.

This also marks the fourth time in Super Bowl history that the season's NFL rushing leader (Davis) has made it to the Super Bowl. The only previous league rushing leader to participate in the Super Bowl the same season was Cowboys' RB Emmitt Smith, who led the NFL in rushing yardage in 1992, '93 and '95 and played in Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII and XXX. Dallas won each of those contests.