The powerhouses of the NFL dominated last week, with big wins for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, and Dallas Cowboys, but the real surprise happened in Detroit, where the Lions got their first victory of the season.
So, yeah, the Lions aren’t going to be a factor in the post-season. Neither, for that matter, should you expect to see the Houston Texans or Jacksonville Jaguars (two wins each this year) or the New York Jets (three wins). But the fight at the top is getting more and more interesting.
The Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams are looking increasingly strong. And the Kansas City Chiefs have gotten their groove back.
The games are becoming more important, but with the demands of the holidays, finding time to watch them can be challenging. If you’re not going to be front of a TV for the full extent of Sunday’s games—or if you’re not sure who’s playing when, we’ve got a look at the matchups—and several different options for viewing them.
Which NFL teams are playing this week? And what channels are airing the games?
It’s a week of big face-offs, as the Atlanta Falcons meet their regional rival, the Carolina Panthers, and long-time adversaries Washington and Dallas face off.
Here’s a look at who’s playing who this week. (The home team is listed second.)
Sunday, Dec. 12
New Orleans Saints vs. New York Jets, 1:00 a.m. ET on CBS
Atlanta Falcons vs. Charlotte Panthers, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Seattle Seahawks vs. Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Football Team, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Detroit Lions vs. Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m. ET on Fox
New York Giants vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET on Fox
San Francisco 49ers vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
Buffalo Bills vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
Monday, Dec. 13
Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN and select ABC stations
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?
You’ve got a plethora of options…
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.
Twitch
The Amazon-owned streaming service will also carry Thursday night games and allow viewers to interact through live chat, polls and more.
Can I watch NFL games on Amazon?
Yes, but not on the weekend. Amazon Prime subscribers will be able to watch 11 Thursday-night games this year, right up until Christmas Day. 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. As mentioned above, you can also watch on Amazon’s Twitch service.
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 offers three, in fact…
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 couple 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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