Cord Cutters’ Guide to Watching the NFL Playoffs
The country might be in the middle of a hard freeze, but things are just heating up in the NFL Playoffs! After a thrilling weekend of divisional face-offs, we are down to four teams: the New England Patriots, the Minnesota Vikings, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Philadelphia Eagles.
If you are wondering how you can watch these four titans battle it out this Sunday, then I’ve got good news: you don’t need cable to do it. That’s right, since this weekend’s games air on CBS and FOX, the only thing you’ll need is an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.
With an OTA antenna, you’ll be to pick up all of the major broadcast networks and not just CBS and FOX. That means once the NFL Playoffs are said and done, you’ll still have plenty of free entertainment to hold you over until the next season starts.
And now that we know HOW to watch the NFL Playoffs, let’s take a look at this week’s upcoming Conference Championships!
AFC Championship Game
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New England Patriots
Jan. 21 – 3:05 PM, CBS
Last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled off a stunning victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jaguars were able to take an early lead against the Steelers and kept that lead up until the very end when they won 45-42. But this week it won’t be so easy.
Unsurprisingly, the Patriots are still at the top of their game. Even when you discount future Hall of Famer, Tom Brady, from the equation, the Patriots still have a deep bench of game-changing players like tight end Rob Gronkowski and wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
No matter how you slice it, this game is going to be tough. Jacksonville is ranked #2 in defense and New England is ranked #2 in offense; making this an interesting match. Who’s going to crack first? Jacksonville’s defense or New England’s offense? Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen, because we’re going to find out.
NFC Championship Game
Minnesota Vikings vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Jan. 21 – 6:40 PM, FOX
If you were like me, you almost had a heart attack last week when watching the Vikings face off against the Saints. Diggs’ last-minute touchdown may be the greatest ending to a postseason game that I have ever seen. This week when they face off against the Philadelphia Eagles, expect these two teams to leave everything on the field.
Going into this weekend’s conference championship, the odds are slightly favoring the Vikings. They’ve played a solid game all season, most of their key players are still in the fight, and they’re going up against a team that lost its star quarterback. But don’t count the Eagles out yet.
Ever since the Eagles lost starting quarterback Carson Wentz, there has been a lot of speculation about whether they can go all the way. But with the odds stacked against them, the Eagles were able to muster an impressive defensive victory over Atlanta; and this week they hope to spread a little bit more of that underdog magic around Lincoln Financial Field.
Watching NFC and AFC Championship Games Without Cable
Next up we will take a look at the Super Bowl and how you can catch all the action with your trusty Mohu antenna. If I was to wager today, on who will make it onto the big stage – I would say Vikings vs Patriots for the Super Bowl, with the Patriots coming out on top. Hope I am wrong, but I think this is a pretty safe bet.
Cord cutters sound off! Who are your picks to make it to the Super Bowl? Jags or Pats? Vikings or Eagles? Let us know in the comments below or sound off on social media!
