Nov 1, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) takes his helmet off after throwing an incomplete pass against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first half at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Raiders hit the road to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a matchup between two teams near the front of the pack in the AFC in terms of wild-card contention.

Oakland (4-3) is looking to string together their third consecutive win over an AFC opponent to further propel themselves to the top of the wild-card race as the season inches closer to an end, while Pittsburgh (4-4) is looking to bounce-back from a tough loss at home against the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals. Though the playoffs are still weeks away, a win in Pittsburgh will remove all doubts that the Raiders are a playoff contender in 2015.

The bad news for Pittsburgh doesn’t end with just a loss at home last week, as their lead running back Le’Veon Bell also suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8. Though backup DeAngelo Williams has proven capable in the starting lineup in previous weeks this season, the injury to Bell is still a huge loss in terms of the Steelers’ offensive rhythm and overall production on the ground. Given Bell’s injury and Oakland’s proven run defense, expect to Pittsburgh to shift their offense towards Big Ben and their dangerous passing attack.

Though the Raiders’ win over the Jets in Week 8 was essential for Oakland to emerge as true playoff contenders, the stakes are now raised and what began as a distant dream is now turning into a probable reality. The Steelers are the type of team that Oakland must prove competent against in order to establish themselves among the top in the wild-card race.

With that being said, let’s dive into the key matchups that will likely dictate who ends up on top come Sunday.