How to watch or stream Week 16 of the NFL’s 2022 football season on Christmas Eve live, online, and free without cable

December 24, 2022 ndowd

Yes, it’s Saturday and yes, it’s Christmas Eve. Neither seem like a typical day for watching NFL games, but (let’s face it), 2022 is kind of a weird year.

Realizing that family takes priority on Christmas and trying to prevent a player uprising by forcing all teams to play on Christmas, the NFL has shifted most of this week’s games to Saturday. (Don’t worry purists, there will still be some tomorrow too.)

So if you’ve finished all your shopping and the halls are sufficiently decked, here’s who’s playing today—and several different ways to watch the games.

Which NFL teams are playing this week? And what channels are airing the games?

Here’s a look at this week’s matchups. As always, the home team is listed second.

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 watching most NFL games is fairly simple, since many air on broadcast networks, meaning you can 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.

Note that this option will not work for games on the NFL Network, which is not broadcast over the air.

How can I stream NFL games live online if I don’t have a cable subscription?

Try one of these:

Peacock

NBC’s streaming service will give you access to several games, including all Sunday night matchups. 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 gives you access to games aired on that network. You can get a one-week free trial, followed by a $5 or $10 monthly charge.

Disney+

Disney’s bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ no longer has a free trial, so you’ll have to pay $13.99 per month for all three combined (or $19.99 per month for no ads on Hulu). Including Live TV in the bundle bumps the price to $70 per month ($76 with no ads).

Hulu with Live TV

The free trial on this service is no longer offered, as well. It costs $70 per month.

YouTubeTV

After up to a two-week trial, it costs $65.

Sling TV

Dish Network’s Sling recently increased its prices. The lower-tiered “Orange” plan now runs at $40 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan bumps the cost to $55 per month. (A $5 per month increase for each.) The seven-day free trial has disappeared, but the cord-cutting service is offering 50% off of the first month’s bill.

DirecTV Stream

Formerly known as DirecTV Now, AT&T TVNow and AT&T TV, this oft-renamed streaming service costs $70 per month and more after the free trial option.

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 $70 to $100, depending on the channels you choose.

Can I watch NFL games on Amazon?

Yes, but not on the weekends. Amazon is, for the next 11 years, the exclusive home to Thursday Night Football, but does not carry any weekend games. Next up is the Dallas Cowboys vs Tennessee Titans on Dec. 29.

Does the NFL offer any viewing packages to watch the games I want?

A trio, actually.

NFL App

The NFL App lets 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+

Watch live local and out of market games and (with the premium subscription) replays. There’s a seven-day free trial, after which it costs $30 per season. ($80 for premium.)

NFL Sunday Ticket

DirecTV customers have access to it, but (if you meet the conditions, like living in an apartment complex or some area where you can’t get DirecTV) you can also sign up for an online version, letting you watch any NFL game live this season. There’s a one-week trial, followed by charges of $73.49 per month for a four-month period or $293.36 for the entire season (or $99 for four months or $396).

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