Welcome to overtime, where everything gets turned upside down.
This is a bonus week for football fans, as the NFL extended the 2021–22 season. And this week, games start on Saturday—and there’s nothing on Monday (making room for the college national championship).
The playoff picture is generally coming into focus, but there are a few questions. The Indianapolis Colts need a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars to make it into the postseason in the AFC. The Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens are also vying for a spot.
Over in the NFC, only one of the seven postseason spots is up for grabs. The San Francisco 49ers are the odds-on-favorite, but they need to beat the Los Angeles Rams, and the New Orleans Saints have to lose to the Atlanta Falcons for the 49ers to make it. New Orleans needs to win and see the 49ers lose to make it in.
The local sports bar might not hold much appeal given the spread of Omicron, but the living room may be less than optimal these days if you have a noisy family. Looking to stream the games or not sure who’s playing when? We’ve got a look at the matchups—and several different options for viewing.
Which NFL teams are playing this week? And what channels are airing the games?
Here’s a look at who’s playing who this week. (The home team is listed second.)
Saturday, Jan. 8
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos, 4:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN
Sunday, Jan. 9
Washington Football Team vs. New York Giants, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
New Orleans Saints vs. Atlanta Falcons, 4:25 p.m. ET on NFL Network and Paramount+
Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills, 4:25 p.m. ET on NFL Network and Paramount+
Charlotte Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:25 p.m. ET on NFL Network and Paramount+
New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins, 4:25 p.m. ET on NFL Network and Paramount+
San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
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 can—and there are several options for doing so.
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 seven-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 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?
Not anymore. The last game to stream on Amazon was on Christmas Day, but it’s likely the company will carry more games next season.
Does the NFL offer any viewing packages to watch the games I want?
Absolutely!
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, 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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