Just two weeks are left in the regular season, and there is still much to be decided. Only the Eagles have clinched a division title, leaving the other seven divisions still up for grabs.
The last Wild Card spot in each conference remains undecided. The Texans have the inside track for the seventh seed in the AFC and could also catch the Jaguars in the AFC South, leaving the Colts and Ravens each clinging to long odds to make the playoffs. In the NFC, the Packers have lost their last two games, keeping the Lions’ slim chances alive for the conference’s final playoff spot.
The weekend slate begins on Saturday with the Chargers taking on the Texans at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT) on NFL Network, followed by the Packers and Ravens at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on Peacock.
On Sunday, we have the usual lineup of games on CBS and Fox, concluding with Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock. The biggest game on Sunday is probably the Eagles and Bills in Buffalo at 4:25 p.m. ET (1:25 p.m. PT) on Fox. The Eagles have already won the NFC East, but the Bills still have much to play for as they try to catch the Patriots in the AFC East.
If you find yourself less interested in the games that are being broadcast in your area or your access is blocked because of an internet location glitch, you have another option to watch another game that doesn’t require subscribing to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus or searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use a virtual private network. With a VPN, you can watch any of this weekend’s games from anywhere.
How to watch NFL Week 17 from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view this weekend’s games locally because of incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, you may need a different way to watch. That’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic. Plus, it’s a great idea for when you’re traveling and find yourself needing to connect to a public Wi-Fi network, where you’ll want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
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Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks. Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
Plan out your weekend football viewing
Two games are happening on Saturday this week. The first game will be broadcast nationally on NFL Network, and the second game will be streaming exclusively on Peacock.
NFL Week 17 Saturday schedule
| Away team | Home team | Time (all times ET) | TV channel/streaming service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | Los Angeles Chargers | 4:30 p.m. | NFL Network |
| Baltimore Ravens | Green Bay Packers | 8 p.m. | Peacock |
Sunday has seven games happening, starting at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT), on CBS and Fox, followed by two games in the late window, before we then get to the Sunday night game on NBC and Peacock.
NFL Week 17 Sunday schedule
| Away team | Home team | Time (all times ET) | TV channel | Streaming service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Cleveland Browns | 1 p.m. | CBS | Paramount Plus |
| New Orleans Saints | Tennessee Titans | 1 p.m. | CBS | Paramount Plus |
| Seattle Seahawks | Carolina Panthers | 1 p.m. | CBS | Paramount Plus |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Indianapolis Colts | 1 p.m. | Fox | Fox One |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Miami Dolphins | 1 p.m. | Fox | Fox One |
| New England Patriots | New York Jets | 1 p.m. | Fox | Fox One |
| Arizona Cardinals | Cincinnati Bengals | 1 p.m. | Fox | Fox One |
| New York Giants | Las Vegas Raiders | 4:05 p.m. | CBS | Paramount Plus |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Buffalo Bills | 4:25 p.m. | Fox | Fox One |
| Chicago Bears | San Francisco 49ers | 8:20 p.m. | NBC | Peacock |
How to watch NFL Week 17 in the US
If you don’t want to subscribe to a live TV streaming service, you can watch the CBS games with Paramount Plus, the Fox games with Fox One and the NBC games with Peacock.
Best live TV streaming services for NFL fans
While subscribing to Paramount Plus, Fox One and Peacock is cheaper than a live TV streaming service, the advantage of the latter is the ability to flip quickly between CBS and Fox on Sunday afternoon when two games are on at the same time. Shutting down one streaming service and firing up another is much slower and more annoying, to the point that it’s not worth flipping to the other game during a commercial break of the one you’re watching.
The good news for football fans is that CBS and Fox are available on most live TV streaming services, along with NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network for SNF, MNF and the NFL’s international games.
All the live TV streaming services above allow you to cancel anytime. They do require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.
Quick tips for streaming the NFL with a VPN
- With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — experience and success may vary.
- If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the «search for city or country» option.
- If you’re having trouble accessing the game after turning on your VPN and setting it to the correct viewing area, you can try two quick fixes. First, log in to your streaming service subscription account and ensure the address registered for the account is within the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs, like Roku, don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll need to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (such as your phone) so that any device connected to its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after installing a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to the email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router can also be helpful, as both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.