PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Earlier in the 1990s, teams from Atlanta and Pittsburgh played some memorable, compelling games in October.

Monday night's game between the going-nowhere Falcons (1-5) and the inconsistent Steelers (3-3) doesn't figure to be one of them.

It's a case of right month, wrong teams _ in 1991 and 1992, the Braves and the Pirates supplied the autumnal intrigue. This matchup, one that looked exciting when the NFL schedule was released last spring, now seems about as appealing as a summer rerun.

So much so, Steelers coach Bill Cowher all but pleaded for viewers, especially those in Atlanta otherwise preoccupied with the Yankees-Braves World Series.

"Hey, watch us!" Cowher said. "Anytime you play a Monday night game in Pittsburgh, I think it's exciting. It's great for the country to see a city that identifies with its football team the way it does here."

But does he really want the country to see these Steelers, who, despite a 7-0 record in Monday night home games under Cowher, have been up and down more than the October stock market? Or the Falcons, who have won once in seven games since beating Minnesota in the NFC championship game?

The indecipherable Steelers are 3-1 on the road, 0-2 at home, where their starting offense has yet to score a touchdown. A four-game home losing streak that dates to last season is their longest since moving into Three Rivers Stadium in 1970.

"We're playing at home and we can't lose any more at home," running back Jerome Bettis said. "We've got to win all of our (last six) games at home to have any chance to play in the postseason."

Ravaged by injuries and inconsistency, the Falcons can't seem to win anywhere. They've had more empty seats at home than even the Braves did during the playoffs, and they've given their absent fans little reason to return.

With running back Jamal Anderson out for the season and oft-injured quarterback Chris Chandler able to finish only once, they've taken one of the most precipitous falls ever for a returning Super Bowl team.

They have already lost three times by margins of 17 points or more, twice to unbeaten St. Louis. They can't run the ball or stop the run; they rank next-to-last in the NFC in rushing offense and defense.

Still, coach Dan Reeves says it's an exciting time to be living and playing in Atlanta. What he didn't say is that Falcons football isn't the reason why.

"The Braves have done an awful lot for this town for a long time," Reeves said. "It's exciting."

Clearly, he wasn't talking about his offense. The Falcons have found it a struggle even to kick field goals, scoring more than 14 points only once.

However, the Falcons haven't totally lost their edge, one that helped them upset Minnesota in January. Cornerback Ray Buchanan took a shot at Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart, saying he is much more of a threat as a runner and doesn't particularly worry the Falcons as a thrower.

Take away the running threat of Stewart and Bettis, who had his first 100-yard game of the season last week against Cincinnati, and it is easy to stop the Steelers, Buchanan said.

"Other than that, we don't see any threat," Buchanan said.

Bettis has long been the Steelers' one offensive constant, but was held to 256 yards in five games until gaining 111 against Cincinnati. Until then, Bettis was slowed by knee and calf injuries and undependable blocking from an ever-changing mix of offensive linemen.

That mix could change again Monday as All-Pro center Dermontti Dawson's streak of 170 consecutive games played may end because of a pulled hamstring.

"I have been looking at film, and there are defenders in the backfield like it's nothing," Buchanan said. "Jerome Bettis hasn't had the opportunity to run the ball. Defenses are putting a lot of teams in there to stop the run and make them throw the ball, which is their weakness."

Of course, Atlanta hasn't been much better.

The Falcons have used three quarterbacks _ Chandler, Danny Kanell and Tony Graziani, all of whom have two touchdown passes and two interceptions apiece. Chandler, who led them to the Super Bowl, expects to start after leaving last week's 41-13 loss to St. Louis with the flu.

The Falcons can use any edge they can get, especially in Pittsburgh, where they are 0-4 in Three Rivers. They are 1-10 overall against the Steelers, winning only in Atlanta in 1970.

ATLANTA Season schedule and results

PITTSBURGH Season schedule and results

September 12 Minnesota L 14-17 September 20 @Dallas L 7-24 September 26 @St. Louis L 7-35 October 3 Baltimore L 13-19 October 10 @New Orleans W 20-17 October 17 St. Louis L 13-41 October 25 @Pittsburgh 9:00pm ET October 31 Carolina 1:00pm ET November 7 Jacksonville 1:00pm ET November 21 @Tampa Bay 1:00pm ET November 28 @Carolina 8:20pm ET December 5 New Orleans 1:00pm ET December 12 @San Francisco 4:15pm ET December 19 @Tennessee 1:00pm ET December 26 Arizona 1:00pm ET January 3 San Francisco 9:00pm ET

September 12 @Cleveland W 43-0 September 19 @Baltimore W 23-20 September 26 Seattle L 10-29 October 3 Jacksonville L 3-17 October 10 @Buffalo L 21-24 October 17 @Cincinnati W 17-3 October 25 Atlanta 9:00pm ET November 7 @San Francisco 4:15pm ET November 14 Cleveland 1:00pm ET November 21 @Tennessee 1:00pm ET November 28 Cincinnati 1:00pm ET December 2 @Jacksonville 8:20pm ET December 12 Baltimore 1:00pm ET December 18 @Kansas City 12:40pm ET December 26 Carolina 1:00pm ET January 2 Tennessee 4:15pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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