Last week’s Hall of Fame game was an appetizer. This week, the NFL really begins gearing up for the 2022-2023 season.
By the time the weekend is over, all 32 of the league’s teams will have played a pre-season game this week. And those games will be stretched out, so fans can watch more than just one or two, with matchups happening on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Of course, pre-season games are largely meaningless in the league’s grand scheme, but they are a chance for fans to see how draftees and new players mesh with the rest of the team. And they’re a good way to ease back into your football-watching habits.
A quick reminder: While Amazon does have an exclusive deal to air Thursday night games, that doesn’t kick in until Sept. 15, so you’ll have to head to another network to catch that contest.
Here’s all the information you need to keep up with this week’s games.
Which NFL teams are playing this week? And what channels are airing the games?
After last week’s light schedule, the whole league will be on the gridiron this week. Here’s a look at who’s playing when and where. (The home team is listed second.)
Note that, as this is the pre-season, many games will not be carried nationally. NFL Network will, however, air replays of games that aren’t aired live across the country.
Thursday, Aug. 11
New York Giants vs. New England Patriots, 7:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network
Tennessee Titans vs. Baltimore Ravens, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, NBC and CBS (channel will depend on location)
Friday, Aug. 12
Atlanta Falcons vs. Detroit Lions, 6:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network
Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 7:00 p.m. ET on Fox
New York Jets vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS
Arizona Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS
Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers, 8:30 p.m. ET on NFL Network
Saturday, Aug. 13
Carolina Panthers vs. Washington Commanders, 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network
Baltimore Colts vs. Buffalo Bills, 4:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network
Seattle Seahawks vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 7:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network
Miami Dolphins vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS (channel will depend on location)
New Orleans Saints vs. Houston Texans, 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC, NBC and CBS (channel will depend on location)
Dallas Cowboys vs. Denver Broncos, 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS (channel will depend on location)
Los Angeles Rams vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 10:00 p.m. ET on ABC
Sunday, Aug. 14
Minnesota Vikings vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. ET on NFL Network
How can I watch NFL games for free—even if I am out of the 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 the preseason games is a snap, since it airs on broadcast networks, meaning you’ll be able to 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.
Can I stream NFL games live online if I don’t have a cable subscription?
Yup—and there are plenty of options to do so.
Peacock
NBC’s streaming service will give you access to Thursday’s game. 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 will give you access to games aired on that network. You can get a one-month free trial, followed by a $6 monthly charge.
Disney+
Disney’s bundle of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ can be enjoyed for free for seven days, after which you’ll pay $13.99 per month for all three combined
Hulu with Live TV
You can try the service for free for a week. Once that’s up, you’ll pay $65 per month.
YouTubeTV
After a two-week trial, you can expect monthly charges of $65.
Sling TV
Dish Network’s Sling lower-tiered “Orange” plan will run you $35 per month. Adding the more comprehensive “Blue” plan bumps the cost to $ 50 per month. You’ll have a 7-day free trial first – and right now, the cord-cutting service is dropping the first month’s bill to $10.
AT&T TV
Formerly known as DirecTV Now and AT&T TVNow, AT&T’s streaming service will run you $70 per month and up. There is no longer a 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 $65-$80, depending on the channels you choose.
Can I watch NFL preseason games on Amazon?
You can’t. Pre-season games won’t air on Prime Video. But starting Sept. 15, it will be the exclusive home to Thursday Night Football.
Does the NFL offer any viewing packages to watch the games I want?
It does.
NFL App
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 of 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 for $73.49 per month or $293.36 for the entire season.
