NFL Cord Cutter's Guide to The NFL Games

NFL Cord Cutter's Guide To Watch All The Games

Another NFL season is upon us. This year, cord-cutters can watch 232 out of the 256 regular season games for FREE simply by using an over the air (OTA) antenna. The NFL games will be broadcast on FOX, CBS, and NBC in beautiful 1080p HD.

These games will be available in your local market and now almost 97% of homes inside the USA can receive and watch most NFL games by using either an indoor, attic or outdoor antenna.

View our Digital HD Antenna Guide for more information and tips on a perfect antenna installation and placement.

How to Watch NFL Games at Home

Over The Air (OTA) Antenna

To watch local NFL Games, an antenna is still your very best bet. Watching games from an antenna eliminates blackouts like what you see when subscribing to a streaming service.

Blackouts can still be easily bypassed. Here's what you need to do to stream local games without blackouts.

Antennas will work excellent to get most channels. If you live in an area that's harder to get a strong signal, 9 times out of 10 using a larger roof or attic antenna almost always works better than an indoor antenna and it will help you receive more channels and a stronger signal.

Visit the FCC DTV Reception Website to help you find the right size, distance to towers, and mounting height for your antenna.

To align your antenna a compass is needed. Your iPhone or Android Phone has an app that will work fine. Use it to aim your antenna to receive the weak channels. Sometimes this can mean the difference between a flaky picture or no picture at all to a stunning HD quality picture that rivals cable TV or satellite.

If your city, HOA or landlord tries to block you from installing an antenna in your yard, deck railing or patio they are in violation of Federal law . Show them the FCC rules here and also here.

Placing your antenna indoors where it can point out a window also sometimes works well to receive a decent signal and many channels. This may save you a trip up to the roof.

Popular Indoor Antennas

The Mohu Leaf

Antennas Direct ClearStream ECLIPSE

Using an amplifier can help improve weak signals that are often caused by splitters or long cable runs. For more information visit our Digital Antenna Guide

If you don't have an antenna or live in an area where you can't get decent reception, here are some other ways you can watch most all the NFL games without cable or satellite.

***Only the 7 exclusive NFL Network games, and the 17 ESPN exclusive 'Monday Night Football' games can't be watched using an over the air antenna.

Check this out! You may be able to watch channel like CBS, NBC and FOX for FREE using nothing more than a simple paperclip.

Some Monday Night Football games are also available by watching your local OTA channels in a few markets.

To get the list of channels available in your home market <u>check this TV guide</u> and click customize your listings.

The current NFL game schedule is Here

Watch Sunday Afternoon Football Games on FOX:

The Fox Channel is Available on:

DirecTV Now
FuboTV
Hulu Live TV
PlayStation Vue
Sling TV
Youtube Live TV
FOX Sports Go app
OTA Antenna.

Watch Sunday Afternoon Football on CBS:

The CBS Channel is Available on:

CBS All Access
DirecTV Now
FuboTV, Hulu
PlayStation Vue
Youtube Live TV
OTA Antenna

Watch Sunday Night Football on NBC:

DirecTV Now, FuboTV, Hulu Live TV, PS Vue, Sling TV, Youtube TV, NBC Sports app, OTA Antenna.

Watch Monday Night Football on ESPN:

DirecTV Now, Hulu Live TV, PS Vue, Sling TV, Youtube TV ESPN app.

Watch Thursday Night Football on FOX / Amazon Prime / Twitch:

DirecTV Now, FuboTV, Hulu Live TV, PS Vue, Sling TV, Youtube TV, FOX Sports Go app, Amazon Prime, Twitch (Free) , OTA Antenna.

Watch The NFL Network On:

DirecTV Now, FuboTV, PS Vue, Sling TV

Watch RedZone On:

FuboTV, PS Vue, Sling TV

Other Places to Watch or Listen to NFL Games

CBS All Access subscribers can access and stream all local games. To try CBS All ACCESS for Watch One Month Free - Click here.

On the Radio - SIRIUS XM has optional packages that will let you listen to every NFL game. TuneIN has broadcasts of NFL Games for $7.99 a month. Westwood One Radio is the NFL's radio official broadcast channel. Try this station locator to find a radio station in your area.

Game Pass - NFL Game Pass is the place to watch pre-season games, replays and regular season, playoffs. They also let you watch the Super Bowl. U.S. Game Pass subscribers are restricted from watch LIVE regular season NFL games.

Sunday Ticket - NFL Sunday Ticket is available without any other subscription only to students or for those that live in a location that can't receive DirecTV.

Verizon Mobile subscribers this year can stream any in-market games using their Verizon mobile devices including the playoffs and Super Bowl. This is something new they rolled out this year.

NFL Schedules and TV Schedules

DirecTV Now

Pros:

Watch Up to 120+ Live Channels including popular sports channels ESPN, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, NFL Network, and live local channels (NBC, CBS, Fox) in many markets
DVR (upgrade) Check DVR Features Here
2 concurrent streams (upgradeable to 3)

Cons:

RedZone is not available.

Devices Supported:

Web browser, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android phones & tablets, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One & 360, Samsung TVs (select models)

DirecTV Now offers four plans: Live a Little: $40/month (65+ channels), Just Right: $55/month (85+ channels), Go Big: $65/month (105+ channels) and Gotta Have it: $75/month (125+ channels). Their channel lineup compare all their plans. A few channels are not broadcast live.

Check availability for local broadcast and Regional Sports Networks before signing up. Regional Sports Networks are available in select cities for the top three packages. In addition to Fox, NBC and Telemundo (if available in your market as a live local broadcast channel), DirecTV Now offers ESPN, ESPN 2, Fox Sports 1, and NBCSN for all plans and Fox Sports 2 for the Go Big and Gotta Have it plans.

CBS games are dependent on your zip code. DirecTV Now does not carry NFL Network or RedZone.

Games on local Fox channels and ESPN's Monday night games can be watched on connected TV devices, computers and tablets, but not cell phones. Regarding "NBC’s Sunday Night football games", the FAQ states "You can stream Sunday night NFL games in select local NBC markets on a tablet or computer. For technical reasons, we are not currently able to stream NBC games on other devices." See this page for an explanation of various blackouts and this page on how to bypass blackouts.

Included in the login credentials available for DirecTV Now are: CSN Regional Sports networks, ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports, NBC, NBC Universo, NBC Sports, and Telemundo. See DirecTV Now FAQ for a complete list of login credentials available.

FuboTV

They will have more games this season - and on more screens - including desktop, mobile, tablets, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Chromecast.

NFL games will be available on CBS, FOX, NBC, NFL Network and NFL RedZone from NFL Network with fuboTV. fuboTV offers more coverage of local markets across the U.S. with FOX available in 93% of households across the country, NBC in 75% and CBS in 70% - with new stations being added before regular season kickoff.

Pros:

Up to 90+ Live Channels including NFL Network, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and live local channels (NBC, CBS, Fox) in many markets
RedZone available as part of Sports Plus add-on ($8.99/mo)
DVR Check fuboTV DVR Features Here
2 concurrent streams

Cons:

ESPN

Devices Supported:

Web browser, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android phones & tablets, Android TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast

FuboTV is a good option if you like international sports, especially soccer. While ESPN is not available, select local CBS, NBC, and Fox affiliates are included. NFL Network and RedZone are available. Fubo also has many other live channels non-related to sports.

For NFL, Fubo TV offers two relevant plans: Fubo: (75+ channels; $35.99 first month; $45.99/mo thereafter), and Fubo Extra: (90+ channels, $39.99 first month, $49.99/mo thereafter). Here is their channel lineup. RedZone is available with the Sports Plus add-on package ($8.99/mo).

Fubo TV's login credentials includes FOX, Fox Sports, and NBC so you can watch them on multiple devices.

Hulu with Live TV

Hulu with Live TV mobile app

Pros:

50+ Live Channels including ESPN, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and live local channels in many markets
DVR Check DVR Features Here
2 concurrent streams, upgradeable to unlimited

Cons:

NFL Network, RedZone

Supported Devices:

Web browser, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android phones & tablets, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One & 360, Samsung TVs (select models)

Hulu with Live TV basic plan costs $39.99/month. This plan now has over 50+ live channels. Depending on which market your in, NBC, ABC, Fox and CBS live broadcast affiliate channels may or may not be available. Here is where you can find which channels are available, click here then scroll down and click the "View all channels in your area" link.

Hulu with Live TV currently supports less devices than their basic $7.99 on-demand version of Hulu. A DVR is included. Check Hulu Live DVR Features Here

Besides watching local broadcast affiliate channels, Hulu with Live TV also lets you watch CBS Sports, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, and NBCSN. The NFL Network and RedZone Channels are not currently available.

Hulu's list of login credentials are here and they include ESPN, Fox and CBS All Access. The login credentials for CBS All Access are limited to its live stream and may only available in these select markets rather than the full 150+ markets for CBS All Access. (Select "cable tv provider" and then select Hulu as your provider.) Other popular channels on the list are also include.

PlayStation Vue

Pros:

PS Vue now has over 90 Live Channels including the NFL Network, ESPN, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and live local channels (Fox, CBS, NBC) in quite a few markets
RedZone is offered with the Sport Pack for $10/mo
DVR Check DVR Features Here
5 concurrent streams in same household

Cons:

Availability of live Fox and NBC affiliates is limited. You won't be able to watch NFL games on Fox/NBC unless the Live channel is playing in your market. Use this trick to bypass blackouts.

Devices Supported:

Watch from a Web browser, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android phones & tablets, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, and PlayStation 3 & 4 consoles.

PlayStation Vue can be watched on many other devices besides a PS 3 or PS4. All packages include ESPN, NBC Sports, and "TV Everywhere" credentials for ESPN, NBCSN, and Fox Sports Go. Their cloud DVR keeps your shows for 28 days. It records by the show, so if the game goes into overtime part of the game may be missed.

NFL Network is on the PS Vue Core package (costs$50/month). Vue also has a Sports Pack add-on package which costs an additional $10 a month. This package includes RedZone plus 13 more sports channels.

You can use your login credentials to also watch from tablets, PCs, and streaming boxes. You can't watch PS Vue on your mobile devices. Only Verizon Wireless has exclusive rights to watch on mobile.

FOX, carries the Sunday afternoon NFL games. The Sunday night games are on NBCSN, Monday night games are on ESPN, Thursday night games are on the NFL Network channel, and the RedZone channel also has the Sunday games.

If your antenna can get CBS as a local live channel, any games broadcast by your local CBS affiliate can be watched. PS VUE FAQ.

PS Vue's sports channels include ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports, NBC, NBC Sports, NFL Network, and Telemundo.

Sling TV

Pros:

Up to 48+ Live Channels including NFL Network, ESPN, NBC Sports, Local channels (Fox and NBC in limited markets)
RedZone offered with Sport Extra for $10/mo
DVR ($5/mo upgrade) Check Sling TV DVR Features Here
Up to 3 streams with Blue

Cons:

What's Not Included

CBS Use an antenna or subscribe to CBS All Access
Fox and NBC affiliates are rather sparse. So you won't be able to watch a NFL football game on either Fox or NBC unless the live local channels are playing in your local market.

Devices Supported:

Watch from a Windows PC, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android phones & tablets, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, AirTV Player, Xbox One, select LG and Samsung TVs

Sling TV offers two live streaming packages - Sling TV Orange costs $25 (one-stream) and the Sling TV Blue package costs $25 (includes multiple-streams). Or subscribe to both Orange and Blue for $40 a month. ESPN 1 and 2 is included in the Orange package. To watch FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC and NBCSN you will need to also subscribe to the Sling TV Blue package. To see most all the games you will need to pay $40 and subscribe to both packages and you may also want to pay for the $10 Sports Extra package as well.

You can't watch CBS on Sling TV but may be able to receive it locally from an antenna or subscribe to CBS ALL ACCESS.

NFL Network is part of the Blue package and RedZone comes with the Sports Extra Package which costs $10/month more.

To check out which local channels are available in your area, view all Local Channels for Sling TV here.

YouTube TV

Pros:

One package to choose from which includes 73+ Live Channels. Popular sports channels include ESPN, NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and live local channels (Fox, CBS, NBC) in many markets
Unlimited DVR Check YouTube DVR Features Here
Up to 6 accounts with 3 streams at once which can be shared with your family

Cons:

What's Not Included

NFL Network
RedZone

Supported Media Streaming Devices:

Watch on any Web browser, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android phones & tablets, Android TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Samsung and LG Smart TV's

YouTube TV provides one plan only which costs $40/month. Availability is still limited to major markets in 70 major cities and their local regions. At some point their service will expand further to other markets as well.

YouTube TV let's you watch three streams at the same time and you can have up to six accounts each with recommendations linked to that account.

One of the best things about YouTube is their UNLIMITED DVR storage. The only thing is your recording will start expiring after nine months.

YouTube TV subscribers have access to over 70 channels. View their complete Channel lineup (it's near the bottom) ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC Sports, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, CBS Sports, Comcast SportsNet, and others are all included in their package. Missing from YouTube are NFL Network and RedZone.

If you are a big football fan, now there more options than ever to cut the cord and still watch your favorite NFL Team play all the way to the Super Bowl.

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