Yes, Thanksgiving is about family, food, and appreciating what you have. But it’s also about watching professional football.
As the smell of roast turkey begins to permeate the house, the fight for playoff position will continue unabated on the grill. But the odds of being able to watch undisturbed are slim – and it’s not exactly a day you can sneak up to your favorite watering hole unnoticed. So whether you’re in charge of cooking dinner or peeling the potatoes, you always have the option of watching one of three matches today. Just know that because it’s a holiday, the usual Thursday night viewing habits are going to change. Amazondespite his new contract, will not broadcast the evening game.
Whatever your situation, we have what you need. Here’s a look at who’s playing today and several different ways to watch the games.
Which NFL teams are playing this week? And which channels broadcast the games?
That’s arguably the best part of NFL games on Thanksgiving: they don’t face each other. The NFL has stacked all three so you can marathon watch them (or, at least, use them as a vehicle to disconnect the family if a political row erupts before the pumpkin pie is served.)
Thursday, November 24
Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions12:30 p.m. ET on CBS
New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys4:30 p.m. ET on Fox
New England Patriots vs. Minnesota Vikings8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
How can I watch my local NFL team for free, even if I’m out of market?
The best way to watch any type of network programming on the big screen for free is with a good HD antenna. And NFL games are some of the easiest to watch because they’re broadcast on broadcast networks, meaning you’ll be able to watch even if you don’t have a cable subscription. The best of all? All Thanksgiving games are broadcast by a live channel. To ensure you get the most reliable signal, be sure to test the antenna in several locations in your home.
How can I stream NFL games live online if I don’t have a cable subscription?
You have several options to choose from:
Peacock
NBC’s streaming service will give you access to several games, including all Sunday night games. You can get a seven-day free trial, followed by a monthly fee of $5 or $10. (The free version of Peacock does not include live sports.)
Paramount+
CBS streaming service will give you access to the games broadcast on this network. You can get a one-week free trial, followed by a monthly fee of $5 or $10.
Disney+
The Disney bundle from Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $13.99 per month for all three handsets (or $19.99 per month ad-free on Hulu). Including live TV in the package bumps the price up to $70 per month ($76 ad-free).
Hulu with Live TV
The free trial on this service is also no longer offered. It will cost you $70 per month.
YouTubeTV
After until one two week trialyou can expect a monthly fee of $65.
TV Sling
Dish Network’s lower-tier Sling “Orange” plan will cost you $35 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan bumps the cost up to $50 per month. You’ll get a seven-day free trial first — and right now, the cord-cutting service is cutting the first month’s bill in half.
DirecTV streams
Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow and AT&T TV, this oft-renowned streaming service will cost you $70 per month and more after the free trial option.
Fubo TV
This sports-focused cord cutter service broadcasts broadcast networks in most markets. There’s a seven-day free trial, followed by monthly fees of $70 to $100, depending on the channels you choose.
Can I watch NFL games on Amazon?
This is where it gets a little confusing. Amazon has exclusive rights to Thursday Night Football for 2022 and the following 10 seasons. However, there is an exception for the Thanksgiving game this year. So while you’ve gotten into the habit of logging into Amazon Prime on Thursday night, tonight’s game won’t be there. It will air on NBC instead.
Does the NFL offer viewing packages to watch the games I want?
It offers three, in fact.
NFL app
The NFL app will allow you to stream games that are broadcast locally in your market on Sundays. If you want to watch an “out of market” game, you have two choices.
NFL Game Pass
There are a few issues with this service. You can’t use it to watch live matches, but you can watch anything after its main stream is over. There’s a seven-day free trial, after which you’re looking at a $100 per season fee.
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 at home. television for $73.49 per month or $293.36 for the entire season.
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