How to watch Week 4 NFL games live online for free—and without cable

By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer
Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

    Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

    With both the Bucs and Chiefs losing last week, it has become clear that nothing is certain this NFL season.

    There are now just five undefeated teams in the NFL—and the Los Angeles Rams have taken over the top spot in multiple power rankings after a commanding performance against Tampa Bay last week. But there’s no rest ahead, as they face the Cardinals this week in a tough NFC West matchup.

    Don’t savor the thought of couch surfing? If you prefer to be out and don’t have time for a sports bar this weekend, we’ve got a look at who’s playing this week—and several different options for viewing the match-ups.

    Which NFL teams are playing this week? And what channels are airing the games?

    Week four’s biggest game is Sunday night, when the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face the New England Patriots. This will be the first time Tom Brady has squared off against his old team.

    Here’s a look at everyone who’s playing this week. (The home team is listed second.)

    Sunday, Oct. 2

    Tennessee Titans vs. New York Jets, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

    Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox

    Indianapolis Colts vs. Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

    Cleveland Browns vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

    Washington Football Team vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox

    Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

    New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox

    Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS

    Charlotte Panthers vs. Dallas Cowboys, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox

    Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET on Fox

    Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET on Fox

    Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS

    Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New England Patriots, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC

    Monday, Oct. 3

    Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN

    How can I watch my local NFL team for free—even if I am out of market?

    The best way to watch any sort of network programming for free on a big screen is with a good HD antenna. And NFL games are one of the easiest to view, since they air on broadcast networks, meaning you’ll be able to watch even if you don’t have a cable subscription. To ensure you’re getting the most reliable signal, be sure to test the antenna in multiple locations in your home.

    How can I stream NFL games live online if I don’t have a cable subscription?

    There are a wide variety of options for people who would prefer to watch on their phone, tablet, or some other online-device:

    Peacock

    NBC’s streaming service will give you access to Sunday night games and others aired on that network. You can get a seven-day free trial, followed by a $5 or $10 monthly charge. (The free version of Peacock does not include live sports.)

    Paramount+

    CBS’s streaming service will give you access to games aired on that network. You can get a one-month free trial, followed by a $6 monthly charge.

    Hulu with Live TV

    You can try the service free for a week. Once that’s up, you’ll pay $65 per month.

    YouTubeTV

    After a two-week trial, you can expect monthly charges of $65.

    Sling TV

    Dish Network’s Sling lower-tiered “Orange” plan will run you $35 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan bumps the cost to $50 per month. You’ll have a 7-day free trial first—and right now, the cord-cutting service is dropping the first month’s bill to $10.

    AT&T TV

    Formerly known as DirecTV Now and AT&T TVNow, AT&T’s streaming service will run you $70 per month and up. There is no longer a free trial option.

    Disney+

    Disney’s bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ can be enjoyed for free for seven days, after which you’ll pay $13.99 per month for all three combined.

    Fubo TV

    This sports-focused cord cutting service carries broadcast networks in most markets. There’s a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly charges of $65 to $80, depending on the channels you choose.

    Can I watch NFL games on Amazon?

    You will be able to starting this Thursday. Amazon Prime subscribers will be able to watch 11 games this year (including the Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints on Christmas Day). The online retailer has struck a deal with Fox to air select Thursday night games. The first co-aired game occurs Oct. 7, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing the Chicago Bears. They’ll be featured in the Prime Video section and Amazon will also offer the NFL Network pregame show before each game at 7:30 p.m. ET.

    If you don’t have Prime, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial.

    Does the NFL offer any viewing packages to watch the games I want?

    It sure does!

    NFL App

    The NFL App will let you stream games that are being broadcast locally in your market on Sundays. If you want to watch an “out-of-market” game, you’ve got two choices:

    NFL Game Pass

    There are a couple of hitches with this service. You can’t use it to watch live games, but you can watch anything once its main broadcast ends. There’s a seven-day free trial, after which you’re looking at a $100 charge per season.

    NFL Sunday Ticket

    DirecTV customers have access to it, but if you’re not a subscriber and live in an area where it’s not available, you can watch any NFL game live, online, or on TV for $73.49 per month, or $293.36 for the entire season.

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