Cord Cutters’ Guide to Watching the NFL Playoffs
It’s finally here. After a year of touchdowns, tackles, and controversy; we’ve finally made it to the biggest game of 2018: The Super Bowl. On one side of the field, we have the Philadelphia Eagles and on the other side, we have the New England Patriots. Who will come out on top?
Today we’re going to take an in-depth look at this super match-up and tell you how you can watch the Super Bowl without cable. Let’s get started!
How to Watch the Super Bowl Without Cable
The Super Bowl airs at 6:30 PM ET on February 4th on NBC. That means the only thing you’re going to need to watch the Super Bowl without cable is an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. If you don’t know what an OTA antenna is, not to worry, it’s pretty simple.
An OTA antenna is a device that allows you to watch all of the major broadcast networks in your area, such as ABC, CBS, or in this case NBC. If you grew up using an old rabbit ears antenna, it’s basically that – only it’s sleeker, cheaper, and capable of 1080i HD picture. In some areas, especially if you live near a metropolitan area, you can also pick up local broadcast networks; which are often filled with interesting niche content that you might not find anywhere else.
You can find an OTA antenna at your local electronics store or online through a website like Amazon. You can also purchase OTA antennas directly from manufacturers like Mohu for a better price.
Streaming Options
If you prefer to watch the game online, there are a number of options. NBC is streaming the game for free via a number of mediums. If you own a streaming box like Roku or Amazon Fire, simply download the NBC app and you should be good to go. If you want to watch the game on your computer, head over to NBC.com or NBCSports.com.
The only downside to these options is that the game will be slightly delayed, the picture quality will not be as good as it is OTA, and you could run into buffering issues (due to the fact that millions of people will be trying to access the game all at the same time).
Now that we know HOW to watch the Super Bowl without cable, let’s take a look at two teams facing off!
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a team that just won’t quit. All season long the Eagles have dominated their opponents and overcome impossible odds. When they lost their star quarterbacks, Carson Wentz, at the end of the regular season, many assumed that their Super Bowl dreams were dead.
Against all odds, however, the Eagles have continued to win games with backup quarterback Nick Foles. But let’s not take away from the rest of Philadelphia’s team. If it weren’t for Philadelphia’s 4th ranked defense, there’s a good chance they wouldn’t have even made the playoffs.
Going into this game, the question on everyone’s mind is whether Foles can make the big plays under pressure and whether he can score touchdowns instead of field goals. The oddsmakers are betting big that he won’t, but then again they’ve been saying that since Wentz was taken out, so take their analysis with a grain of salt. All it takes is 1 or 2 injuries and the entire game script will be flipped on it’s head.
New England Patriots
They are the team that everyone loves to hate. The Dark Ones. The Evil Empire. The Alabama of Professional Football. The cute nicknames are endless; but needless to say, most of the country will be rooting against New England, if only for one reason: They are disgustingly good.
In the Belichick/Brady Era, the Patriots have won five Super Bowls and this weekend they hope to make it six. They’re ranked first in offense, second in passing, and tenth in rushing; this is a team that just won’t stop.
The Patriots are also a lucky team. It’s safe to say, if it wasn’t for one or two calls, we would be looking at a Jacksonville/Philadelphia match-up; but that’s not the way it went. The Patriots are a lucky team, but luck can only last for so long. Will the Patriots’ luck hold out for just one more game?
Sound off!
So who do you think is going to be crown champion? The Philadelphia Eagles or the New England Patriots? Let us know in the comments below or sound off on social media!
