8 Ways to Watch the 2024 NFL Playoffs Without Cable

Published: January 9, 2024

You can watch the 2024 NFL Playoffs without cable, starting this weekend with Super Wild Card Weekend on NBC and Peacock. From there, you will see matchups on CBS, ESPN, ABC, FOX, and NBC. 

For cord-cutters, that means you will be able to watch most of these games for free by using a TV antenna on NBC, CBS, ABC and FOX. Only one Wild Card game on Saturday is exclusively on Peacock. (Super Bowl LVIII will be on CBS.)  

I have been streaming major sporting events since 2016, so I am guiding you through your best options for the NFL Playoffs in 2024. 

As the NFL playoffs kick off with the Super Wild Card Weekend, fans are bracing for an electrifying series of matchups. 

Saturday’s games start with the Cleveland Browns, fresh off a tough loss but boasting an impressive 11-6 record, face the Houston Texans, who clinched a nail-biting victory to secure their playoff spot.  

The Miami Dolphins, despite a recent setback, carry their 11-6 record against the formidable Kansas City Chiefs.  

Sunday’s games open with the Pittsburgh Steelers, underdogs with a fighting spirit, challenging the Buffalo Bills, a team known for their strategic prowess and on-field dominance. 

The Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys are set to create a classic playoff showdown. The day caps off with the Los Angeles Rams taking on the Detroit Lions, a game that’s expected to be a tactical and high-energy encounter.

The weekend concludes with the Philadelphia Eagles facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This game is not just a battle of teams but of philosophies, setting the stage for a memorable playoff narrative.

NFL Playoff Game Schedule & TV Channels

Here’s the detailed schedule for the NFL playoffs Super Wild Card Weekend:

Saturday, Jan. 13

• Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans, 2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, Universo
• Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs, 6:00 p.m. ET, Peacock

Sunday, Jan. 14

• Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys, 2:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes
• Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions, 6:00 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, Universo

Monday, Jan. 15

• Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills, 11:00 a.m. ET, CBS, Paramount+ (Rescheduled from Sunday)
• Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN (simulcast on ABC), ESPN2, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes

Peacock has become a go-to solution for streaming the NFL Playoffs on NBC without cable, offering a seamless experience for sports fans. 

NFL fans only need to sign up for the budget-friendly Peacock Premium, which costs $5.99 per month. 

Alongside NFL games, the service broadcasts other major sports events like Notre Dame Football, the Premier League, NASCAR, INDYCAR, and WWE. This makes it an ideal platform for a diverse range of sports enthusiasts.

At $11.99 per month, Peacock Premium Plus unlocks 24/7 connectivity to your local NBC station. 

In addition to sports, Peacock Premium Plus subscribers can enjoy the latest episodes of NBC favorites, including ‘The Voice’ and ‘Chicago Fire.’ 

The service also offers an array of Peacock Originals, such as ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Twisted Metal,’ along with other live channels including NBC News Now and Hallmark Channel, plus on-demand content from MSNBC.

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) subscribers can access ESPN and local broadcast channels like CBS and NBC through four different plans.

The Entertainment plan has more than 75 channels including ESPN, ESPN2 and local stations for $79.99 per month. Subscribers can watch live TV on unlimited screens within the home.

The DIRECTV STREAM Entertainment package includes A&E, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BET, Cartoon Network East, CMT, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery, Disney Channel East, E!, Food Network, FOX News Channel, Freeform, FX, FXX, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, History, HLN, Investigation Discovery, Lifetime, MSNBC, National Geographic Channel, Nickelodeon East, Paramount Network, Syfy, TBS, TLC, TNT, TruTV, USA Network, VH1, and WE tv.

You get unlimited Cloud DVR for recording games or any TV show you want. There are more than 40,000 on-demand movies and shows.

The Choice plan has more than 105 channels for $108.99 per month. In the Choice bundle, several channels are included that are not available on DIRECTV STREAM Entertainment. 

These are ACC Network, Big Ten Network, Cooking Channel, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, MLB Network, NBA TV, NFL Network, and Travel Channel.

The Ultimate package has more than 140 channels. The DIRECTV STREAM Ultimate package includes several channels not found in the Entertainment or Choice bundles. These channels include FOX Sports 2 (FS2), Golf Channel, LMN, NHL Network, and Tennis Channel. The Ultimate package is $119.99 per month. 

The Premier Package has over 150 channels. In the DIRECTV STREAM Premier package, there are several exclusive channels not available in the Ultimate, Choice, or Entertainment bundles. These include channels like Boomerang, Destination America, Discovery Family Channel, and Discovery Life.

A subscription is $164.99 per month. Subscriptions run month to month and so you can cancel whenever you want. 

Sling TV is usually my go-to as a budget option for ESPN. But for the NFL Playoffs, you should keep in mind that local channels such as ABC, NBC and FOX are available through the Blue plan in a limited number of markets. 

There is no CBS coverage through Sling TV. So the best, budget-minded approach is to get the Orange plan for ESPN at $40 per month and use an over-the-air antenna to access local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC stations. 

The Orange package includes A&E, History, and TNT, totaling 31 channels. Subscribers also receive 50 hours of Cloud DVR and can watch live TV on one screen at a time.

For a wider channel selection, you can combine both Sling Orange and Sling Blue for $55 per month. 

The Sling Blue plan offers 40 channels, featuring Discovery, NFL Network, FOX Sports 1 (FS1), FOX Sports 2 (FS2), and MSNBC. The Blue plan exclusively includes local ABC, NBC, and FOX stations.

You can add the Sports Extra package for $11 per month, which includes 15 channels like ACC Network, ACCNX, NFL RedZone, Longhorn Network, SEC Network, SEC Network+, MLB Network, NBA TV, and ESPNU.

Fubo (formerly fuboTV) offers NFL fans multiple ways to stream all of the playoffs. 

Their Fubo Pro bundle, priced at $79.99 per month, provides approximately 189 live TV channels, including local NBC, CBS, FOX and ABC stations alongside channels like ESPN, NFL Network, and Big Ten Network.

Fubo offers two other primary channel bundles. The Elite plan, priced at $89.99 per month, has 255 channels and includes approximately 65 more sports, news, and entertainment channels. Elite subscribers receive all the channels included in the Pro subscription, along with Fubo Extra and News Extra add-ons.

The Premier plan, available for $99.99 per month, offers 264 channels, including Showtime. Premier subscribers get all the channels from the Pro bundle, Fubo Extra, News Plus, and Sports Plus.

Fubo subscriptions also offer various add-ons and channel choices.

For an additional $7.99 per month, the Fubo Extra bundle adds 59 more channels, including NBA TV, INSP, Tennis Channel, MTV Live, MTV Classic, FXM, Pac 12 Networks, and ESPNews.

If you’re a sports fanatic, the Sports Plus bundle adds 32 more channels for $10.99 per month, featuring NFL RedZone, all four Stadium networks, Sports Illustrated TV, Golf TV (English and Spanish), PAC 12 regional networks, FOX College Sports, FNTSY, Fight Network, and TyC Sports.

All subscribers enjoy 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR storage and can watch live TV on up to 10 screens simultaneously. You can also utilize Fubo’s “look back” feature to catch up on sporting events from the past 72 hours.

Fubo also has a library of on-demand content, including movies and TV shows. You can access the Fubo app on Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, and Smart TVs.

Subscribers benefit from 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR and can watch live TV on 10 screens simultaneously. Fubo apps are available on Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Smart TVs, making it easy to enjoy live sports on your television.

Hulu with Live TV has been offering sports fans a robust way to watch live sports through ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3 in addition to local broadcast channels. 

The streaming service now has 90 live TV channels in one TV plan. It provides a diverse range of channels catering to various interests in your household, covering sports, news, entertainment, and local programming.

It’s an especially attractive option if you want ESPN+ as well considering the sports-centric streaming service is included with Hulu + Live TV along with an ad-supported version of Disney+. 

Sports fans get cable networks like ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, FS2, CBS Sports Network, NBC Sports Network, and the Big Ten Network. 

Subscribers can simultaneously stream live TV on two screens for a monthly fee of $76.99. Hulu with Live TV also provides unlimited Cloud DVR, allowing you to record sports, news, and movies.

Hulu’s channel lineup also includes local NBC, ABC, and FOX stations across the United States.

YouTube TV offers over 128 channels, including live local channels, entertainment, news and sports networks for just $72.99 a month. For the NFL Playoffs, you will find essential channels such as ESPN, ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS.

Additionally, you’ll find sports channels such as ACC Network, ESPN2, FS1, TNT, TBS, SEC Network, NFL Network, and MLB Network.

You can watch live TV on up to three screens simultaneously, and subscribers enjoy unlimited Cloud DVR.

The Base plan includes popular cable channels like A&E, ABC, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, Bravo, CBS Sports Network, CNBC, CNN, and Cartoon Network. 

With YouTube TV, you can create up to six profiles for your household on a single account. The service is compatible with Chromecast, Roku, Fire TV, NVIDIA Shield TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast. 

Paramount Plus is only streaming one game during Super Wild Card weekend, but it is still worth a mention because it will be streaming Super Bowl LVIII.

To watch NFL games, you only need to sign up for the wallet-friendly Essential plan, which costs $5.99 per month.

Subscribers get an on-demand library of movies and TV shows from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, CBS, MTV, BET and Smithsonian Channel. I have been an annual subscriber to Paramount Plus since March 2021 back when the service was called CBS All Access.

Paramount Plus with Showtime (formerly the ad-free Premium Plan) cost $11.99 per month. Subscribers get access to a live, local CBS station along with the full Showtime library.