We’ve hit the halfway point of the 2019 season—and while fans of the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers have plenty to be happy about, it’s a mixed bag for supporters of other teams. One thing’s for sure: There have been lots of surprises.
The Buffalo Bills, for example, are doing better than anyone expected them to, holding a firm second place ranking in the AFC East. The Washington Redskins, meanwhile, weren’t expected to top any division, but few expected they’d be having this bad of a year.
Injury questions are plaguing every team in the league, which means Week 8 could shake things up considerably.
Whether you’re looking to stay on top of your fantasy football team or just want to cheer on your local team, there are lots of options when it comes to ways to watch beyond sitting on your couch or staking out a spot at the local sports bar. Here’s a look at who’s playing this week—and several different options for viewing the upcoming games.
Which NFL teams are playing this week? And what channels are airing the games?
It’s an action packed weekend, as only two teams have bye weeks—the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens. There are a slew of kickoffs at 1pm, but it’s the Sunday night game that might prove most interesting, as both the Packers and Chiefs lead their divisions and are both legitimate Super Bowl contenders this year.
Here’s who’s playing this week. (The home team is listed second.)
Sunday, Oct. 27
Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
New York Jets vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Rams, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Buffalo Bills, 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
Denver Broncos vs. Baltimore Colts, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Carolina Panthers vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET on Fox
Oakland Raiders vs. Houston Texans, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
Cleveland Browns vs. New England Patriots, 4:25 p.m. ET on CBS
Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
Monday, Oct. 28
Miami Dolphins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN
How can I watch my local NFL team for free—even if I am out of market?
The best way to watch any NFL game for free on a big screen is with a good HD antenna. Local and regional games are broadcast by CBS, NBC and Fox, meaning you’ve got a good chance of capturing the game over the air, which costs nothing beyond the equipment prices. Be sure to test the antenna in multiple locations in your home to find the most reliable signal.
How can I stream NFL games live online if I don’t have a cable subscription?
There are loads of online options to watch NFL games, some completely free and others with free trial periods. If you’re not near a TV, you can log into Fox.com to watch the game or use the Fox Now app. CBS offers its All Access streaming service, which has a one week free trial, followed by a $6 monthly charge. And NBC’s Web site and apps will let you watch live programming on the go. Another option? Yahoo Sports and the NFL have teamed to stream live NFL games on mobile devices this year. Just download the Yahoo Sports app or Yahoo Fantasy Football mobile app and watch all local and primetime games on phones and tablets.Prefer another method? Here are a few that work just as well.
Locast.org: This free service lets you watch local broadcast channels with no monthly fees or contracts. The hiccup is: It only services part of the country.
PlayStation Vue: The free trial is 5 days. Subscription packages start at $50 per month.
Hulu with Live TV: You can try the service free for a week. Once that’s up, you’ll pay $45 per month.
YouTube TV: After a seven day trial, you can expect monthly charges of $50.
Fubo TV: This sports-focused cord cutting service carries CBS in most markets. There’s a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly charges of $55.
Can I watch NFL games on Amazon?
If you’ve got an Amazon Prime subscription, you can now catch a limited number of match-ups. The online retailer has struck a deal with NBC to air select Thursday night games from now through December 12 (Jets vs. Ravens). The next game, on Oct. 31, will feature the San Francisco 49ers vs. The Arizona Cardinals. All games will be featured in the Prime Video section. (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?
Kind of. 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 $73.49 per month or $293.36 for the entire season.