Playing in high-profile NFL games is old hat for the Denver Broncos after two trips to the Super Bowl in the past three seasons.
It's a new experience for the Oakland Raiders, who have spent more than a decade at the bottom of the standings and far from the limelight of hyped primetime games.
For the first time since 2006, the Raiders are on the NFL's premier stage when they play the Broncos for first place in the AFC West on Sunday night (Monday AEDT).
"This is the natural progression in building a good football team," Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said.
"We should expect to be in these games. We're going to expect to win these games. Then we're going to have more of these kinds of games."
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The game offers an intriguing match-up with Derek Carr and Oakland's high-powered offence coming off a record-setting performance in last week's 30-24 overtime win at Tampa Bay, and facing Von Miller and the league's most dominant defence. Both teams are 6-2, a half-game ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs in the division.
Adding more juice to the clash is their intense, dirty rivalry.
"We've never liked the Raiders," safety TJ Ward said.
"It's always come in the same way, regardless of what their record is. It's just a dislike we have for them. And that's not going to change."
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens feature in another terrific NFL rivalry, but one that has lost a bit of steam this season with both clubs struggling and banged up.
Even so, the winner will be in first place.
The big question for Pittsburgh, which leads the AFC North despite their mediocre 4-3 record, is whether quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has recovered enough from his left knee surgery two weeks ago to play.
Another mystery in the Steel City is whether the defence, ranked a disturbing 27th, can get stingy again.
