The AFC and NFC championship games take place today, and here’s how you can watch all the action, either on TV or on your mobile device while on the go.
The NFC Championship game is first on the chopping block, with the Green Bay Packers taking on last year’s Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks. That game kicks off at 3:05 p.m. ET on FOX.
As for the AFC Championship Game, the Indianapolis Colts will take on the New England Patriots starting at 6:40 p.m. ET on CBS.
These are perhaps the most important games of the playoffs, as they determine who goes to the Super Bowl to compete for the national championship, and the teams that made it this far are now rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty as they face a one-game elimination.
You can watch all the action on local channels on your TV, or you can watch live on Android or iPhone. Watching NFL games on mobile devices is a little easier than in years past, but it’s still not where it should be, as blackouts remain one of the biggest drawbacks of live sports streaming. However, if you’re going to be away from home and can’t be near a TV to watch the games this weekend, here’s how you can catch all the action without missing a beat.
NFL Mobile
Perhaps the most popular method for watching NFL games on the iPhone is to download the NFL Mobile App, which is available exclusively to Verizon customers. It’s a free download that any user can install, but streaming access to NFL Mobile is only available to Verizon customers and allows them to watch NFL games directly on their devices.
The app also features news, alerts, video highlights on demand and a section called Game Center, where you can get a complete breakdown of each game.
And, obviously, you can check team standings, stats, lineups and schedules, as well as browse theNFL.com buy, find game tickets or read expert analysis.
NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket is now available to anyone without the need for a DirecTV satellite subscription, but pay attention to the fine print, as there may be a catch.
Previously, NFL Sunday Ticket was only available to those who subscribed to DirecTV, and even then you still had to pay for the NFL broadcast, which didn’t make much sense in terms of its exclusivity with DirecTV, but that is now changing, as DirecTV has announced that NFL Sunday Ticket will be available to anyone willing to shell out at least $250 for the privilege of streaming any game during the entire 2015 season, but this also includes the rest of this season’s playoff games.
Packages start at around $250, and the entry-level package allows you to stream any NFL game on your computer or mobile device. This all sounds great, but be aware of the fine print. In particular, blackout restrictions apply, so if you live near your local team (which you probably should), you won’t be able to stream it.
Watch ESPN
This is an obvious choice because it’s quite popular with sports fans. Mira ESPN allows you to watch all kinds of sports content from various ESPN channels, including ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNU and ESPN Classic. Of course, you can also have live soccer games.
The big caveat here is that you will need to be a cable subscriber to a provider that supports WatchESPNso if you are looking to get WatchESPN as an effort to get off cable, you may be sorely disappointed.
However, if you have an Apple TV, you can use AirPlay to stream WatchESPN content to your living room TV, allowing you to watch soccer games on the big screen.
NBC Sports Live Plus
NBC sports live extra streams thousands of live sporting events that air on NBC and NBCSN, including soccer games, but it appears to only be limited to Sunday games at this time.
However, the app also features video clips, previews of upcoming events, and highlights of past events. Plus, you can even browse the calendar to see when the app will be streaming its live content.
As with WatchESPN, NBC Sports Live Extra is best when the user has a cable subscription, which will allow them to watch all live sporting events, but otherwise, it can be a useful app. Just be aware that many iOS users have complained a lot about the app crashing, but your mileage may vary.
CBSSports.com.
If you want to watch the AFC championship game between the Colts and Patriots, CBSSports.com will stream it live in the web browser, allowing you to watch it on your computer.
Unfortunately, it looks like the CBS Sports app won’t allow you to stream the game on your mobile device, so be sure to have your laptop handy if you plan to stream the game live with CBS Sports. Otherwise, you’ll have to find other options if you want to stream it on your iPhone or Android device.
