This post was written in partnership with DISH.
The NFL playoffs are in full swing, and Wild Card Weekend already showed that we’re in for an exciting postseason. Next up — the Divisional Round. There are just eight teams still standing, and the Super Bowl is only a few weeks away.
All the action for the Divisional matchups will take place on Saturday, Jan. 20, and Sunday, Jan. 21. Here are the four gridiron showdowns:
- Houston Texans (AFC 4) vs. Baltimore Ravens (AFC 1)
- Green Bay Packers (NFC 7) vs. San Francisco 49ers (NFC 1)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC 4) vs. Detroit Lions (NFC 3)
- Kansas City Chiefs (AFC 3) vs. Buffalo Bills (AFC 2)
Where to watch NFL Divisional Round Matchups
ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN share rights to NFL broadcasts for the playoffs, so the four Divisional Round matchups will be spread across these networks. You can also watch the Houston Texans take on the Baltimore Ravens with a simulcast on ESPN Plus, which requires its own subscription. Here’s where you can find these networks on the major live TV streaming networks:
| DISH | DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ |
| CBS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ |
| NBC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | ✓ |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Watch on DISH (Our preferred streaming alternative)
This season, DISH is making it easy for those who prefer a more traditional satellite TV service to watch pro live network games. You can watch live coverage of many pro football games, including most on Wild Card Weekend, on your local channels, where you’ll find coverage for your local team. For a limited time, when new customers purchase America’s top 120 Plus, 200 or 250 packages, you’ll also get access to the Multi-Sport package with NFL Network, NFL RedZone and more channels for sports coverage.
Watch on DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is always a reliable choice for live sports streaming. While it’s easy to end up paying cable-like prices for a subscription, you can keep it simple for the NFL playoffs. The Entertainment plan includes all the major networks with Divisional Round games, along with around 70 other channels, for $79.99 a month. DIRECTV STREAM even offers a five-day free trial if you want to use the big games as a chance to test it out.
If you want even more live sports DIRECTV STREAM has it. The Choice plan offers one of the best values for all-around fans, as it includes regional sports networks (RSNs) and more than 15 major national sports networks. This plan costs $108.99 a month, but it’s one of the most straightforward options for getting a full slate of international, national, and regional action. Regardless of which plan you choose, you’ll get unlimited cloud DVR storage and no cap on simultaneous streams at home.
Watch on Fubo
If you really want to take live sports streaming to another level, Fubo is the best option on the market. The basic Pro plan will let you watch every Divisional Round matchup, and you’ll have more than 30 sports networks. Fubo is the only other streaming platform to also include RSNs, so it’s truly a complete package. It’s also much cheaper than DIRECTV STREAM. For the Pro plan, you’ll pay $74.99 a month plus a regional sports fee of up to $13.99 a month.
There are also plenty of ways to expand your plan and add even more sports and entertainment. All Fubo plans include 1,000 hours of cloud DVR and up to 10 simultaneous streams at home, so you can record any Divisional games you have to miss. It’s worth noting that Fubo has a few significant gaps in its channel lineup — it doesn’t offer major networks like TBS, TNT, TruTV, CNN, and BBC. You can try it out for free for up to seven days over the Divisional Round weekend.
Watch on Hulu + Live TV
Looking for much more than just NFL playoff action? Hulu + Live TV is always our top pick for anyone who wants a complete streaming package. A subscription costs $76.99 a month, and it includes more than 90 live TV channels, along with ESPN Plus, Disney Plus, and the complete on-demand Hulu library. That gets you every Divisional Round game, plus plenty of extra live sports and award-winning on-demand entertainment.
There are a few add-ons here, but Hulu’s strength lies in its simplicity. Most upgrades just relate to how much advertising you want to endure. All Hulu + Live TV plans include unlimited cloud DVR storage and two simultaneous streams. If you’re looking for RSNs, unfortunately, Hulu doesn’t offer them in most markets. There’s currently no free trial for Hulu + Live TV.
Watch on Sling TV
For many cord-cutters, trimming costs is the top reason for leaving cable behind. If you’re really trying to save, Sling TV may be the best choice for watching the Divisional Round. Plans start at $40 a month and offer streamlined, customizable channel lineups. It may take a little extra work to get every game, though. Sling TV only offers local channels in select markets, so you may need an over-the-air antenna to watch ABC, Fox, and NBC. Unfortunately, CBS isn’t available in any market. However, Sling does offer a deal on AirTV, which you can use to stream over-the-air channels via your Sling app.
If you can work out the right setup, Sling is a great, budget-friendly option for streaming live sports. It’s even possible to max out your national and international coverage by choosing Sling Orange & Blue with the Sports Extra add-on. That gets you more than 15 sports networks, including mainstays like ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), NFL Network, MLB Network, NHL Network, ACCN, and SEC Network. This plan only costs $70 a month and offers comparable sports coverage to other platforms that don’t offer RSNs.
Watch on YouTube TV
YouTube TV is our top choice for streamers who want a broad, straightforward lineup that includes many of the most popular cable networks. The base plan costs $72.99 a month and features over 110 sports, news, and entertainment channels. You’ll be able to watch every Divisional Round matchup, plus much more. Its lack of RSN is a downside, but it may be the best channel lineup you can get for the price.
YouTube TV also has one of the best lineups of add-ons to expand your subscription with more sports, premium content, or niche programming. All plans include unlimited cloud DVR storage and three simultaneous streams. Not sure if it’s the right fit? New subscribers can get a free trial of up to two weeks, so playoff season may be a great time to give it a try.
Division matchup schedule
The Divisional Round matchups were officially set after Wild Card Weekend. Here’s where and when you can watch each game:
- Saturday, Jan. 20 @ 4:30 p.m. Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens (ESPN/ABC/ESPN Plus)
- Saturday, Jan. 20 @ 8:15 p.m. Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers (Fox)
- Sunday, Jan. 21 @ 3:00 p.m. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Detroit Lions (NBC)
- Sunday, Jan. 21 @ 6:30 p.m. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills (CBS)
*All of the times are Eastern.
FAQ
Does Peacock have playoff games?
Peacock featured one game over Wild Card Weekend — the AFC matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. This was the first time NBC streamed a playoff game exclusively on its over-the-top service.
Has a wild card won the Super Bowl?
Since the addition of wild card spots in 1970, only six wild card teams have won the Super Bowl:
- The 1980 Oakland Raiders
- The 1997 Denver Broncos
- The 2000 Baltimore Ravens
- The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
- The 2007 New York Giants
- The 2010 Green Bay Packers
Will NFL playoffs be on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV carries every TV network that’s slated to air NFL playoff games in 2024. You can watch with the base plan, which costs $72.99 a month.