Sometimes a game that looks like a dud on the schedule suddenly gets interesting.
This is the case with this Thursday’s matchup between the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers. At various points this season, these two teams appeared to be left for dead. Now, the Raiders are sitting at .500 after a convincing defeat of the Lions and the Chargers knocked off the elite Green Bay Packers.
As these teams face off, each of them suddenly has one last chance to keep their season alive. Which squad will capitalize on the opportunity? Will it be Joshua Jacobs’ stellar rushing or L.A.’s defensive tandem of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram that make the difference here?
Here’s everything you need to know to live stream Raiders vs. Chargers, including what to watch for on the field.
| HOW TO WATCH RAIDERS VS. CHARGERS WITHOUT CABLE | |
| FUBOTV | TRY NOW |
| HULU WITH LIVE TV | TRY NOW |
| SLING TV | TRY NOW |
| AMAZON PRIME | TRY NOW |
How to stream Thursday Night Football: Raiders vs. Chargers
- When: 8:20pm ET, Thursday, Nov. 7
- Where: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California
- Streaming: Fox, Amazon Prime, NFL Network (free trials with various streaming services)
How to stream Thursday Night Football
The majority of Thursday night games are simulcast on Fox and NFL Network. This week, you will be able to watch TNF on these two networks and with any streaming platforms that carry them.
NFL Network
NFL Network is where you go if you want to be immersed in pro football. There’s plenty to love about NFL Network, including the ability to watch exclusive shows like Good Morning Football, NFL Total Access, A Football Life, Inside the NFL, and most importantly, Sunday’s NFL GameDay once the regular season begins. There’s also daily programming devoted to fantasy football and power rankings—the kind of stuff football lovers need in their lives. NFL Network shows most Thursday night games during the regular season, and it’ll exclusively show some of the international games in 2019. Take note, though: NFL Network can no longer be seen via DirecTV Now.
The bottom line: If you want to get closer to the action and catch (almost) every Thursday Night Football game, NFL Network is a worthy investment.
Thursday Night Football: The streaming service route
1) FuboTV
- Cost: $54.99 per month
- FuboTV devices: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV, iOS and Android devices
- FuboTV local channels: Fox, NBC, CBS (check local availability here)
If you’re a big-time sports fan, FuboTV is probably your best streaming service option. If you love international soccer and you’re a Spanish speaker, FuboTV also offers various add-on packages, including Fubo Latino and Fubo Português. FuboTV’s basic plan boasts nearly 100 channels and includes NFL Network. At $54.99 per month, you’ll also get FS1, FS2, NBCSN, NBA TV, Big Ten Network, Pac 12 Network, BeIn Sports, and CBS Sports Network, along with premium channels like FX/FXX/FXM. The only notable omission for sports fans is ESPN. You can add Fubo’s Sports Plus package for an additional $8.99 per month, which will allow you to stream NFL RedZone, (Here’s the complete FuboTV channels list.)
2) Hulu with Live TV
- Cost: $44.99 per month
- Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices
- Hulu local channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW (check your local availability here)
Hulu with Live TV includes sports programming among its offerings, including ESPN and FS1, and as a subscriber to the service, you’ll get free access to Hulu’s sizable on-demand library. (Check out the full list of Hulu Live TV channels.)
3) Sling TV
- Sling TV pricing: $25-$40 per month (40% off first month)
- Sling TV devices: Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, Google Chromecast, Oculus Go, Microsoft Edge, and iOS and Android devices
- Sling TV local channels: NBC, Fox (check your local availability here)
Sling TV provides two base channel package options, each priced at $25 per month. Sling Orange includes three ESPN channels, while Sling Blue includes sports channels like NBCSN (where many Premier League matches appear), NFL Network, and local channels. (Sling Blue customers in select markets get NBC, where some matches appear; see if yours has it here.) If you’re Team “Why Not Both,” Sling Orange + Blue combines the two for just $40 per month. To add beIN SPORTS and maximize your soccer-watching potential, you’ll want to add either Sports Extra: Sling Orange ($5 per month) or Sports Extra: Sling Blue ($10 per month). (The latter also includes NFL RedZone.)
Spanish-speaking viewers have quite a few options. For bilingual families, you might consider the Español: Best of Spanish TV package for either Sling Orange or Sling Blue for 24/7 specialty channel LaLiga TV and beIN SPORTS Connect: Channels 4-9, which features matches from La Liga, Ligue 1 and Copa del Rey, among others. Both packages cost $5 per month after your free trial. Sling TV Latino is another Spanish-language package for $10 per month, including NBC Universo, History en Español, and—of import to soccer fans—four beIN SPORTS channels. (And choosing Sling TV Latino + Sling Orange for $30 per month gives you access to ESPN Deportes.) For more information, check out our guide to Sling TV channels and our Sling TV review.
AirTV
You can also catch Fox games with AirTV—which is something you should have as a companion to Sling.
AirTV solves one of Sling’s biggest problems: The inability to receive all of your local channels. By purchasing a basic AirTV for $79.99 or the AirTV Player for $119.99, you can merge those local channels into your Sling TV (or on your mobile device if you have the basic AirTV). As the Daily Dot wrote in its AirTV review, “It’s practically magic.”
The basic AirTV is a dual-tuner streaming device, while the AirTV Player is basically an upgraded Chromecast that has Netflix preinstalled. You’ll still need to own an HD antenna because even though AirTV gets you access to your local channels, it doesn’t actually physically show them to you.
But AirTV—which has no monthly fee—serves to strengthen one of Sling’s biggest weaknesses compared to other live streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue. All those services have plenty of local channels.
4) YouTube TV
- Cost: $50 per month
- YouTube TV devices: Google Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, iOS and Android devices
- YouTube TV local channels: NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
YouTube TV is a great option for college football fans, including ESPN and FS1. (Take a look at the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)
5) Amazon Prime Video
- Cost: $8.99 a month, or $12.99 a month/$119.99 per year (includes Amazon Prime service)
- Devices: Amazon Fire Stick, Fire TV, Fire tablets, and Fire phone; Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, iOS, and Android devices
Amazon Prime Video allows you to stream Thursday Night Football every Thursday this season (starting Sept. 26 through Dec. 12), save for Thanksgiving. It’s also possible (not obvious, but that’s what we’re here for) to watch NFL RedZone through the service.
Other ways to stream Thursday Night Football
The NFL app
Cost: Depends on provider
Devices: Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, PS4, Roku, Android RV, iOS and Android devices
If you subscribe to NFL Network through your cable provider—or you know someone who does and they owe you a sizable favor—you can also watch via the official NFL app. All you have to do is download it from your streaming device of choice—Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, PS4, Roku, or Android TV—and then enter in your cable credentials when prompted. You can also stream on any iOS or Android device, or on your desktop. Just visit nfl.com/watch.
Raiders vs. Chargers stream: What to watch for
We are reaching that point of the season where a lot of teams will be playing meaningless football. But, sometimes middling teams can step into a week with everything on the line. This is one of those weeks.
For the Chargers, the story is deceptively simple: The things that haven’t been working all season worked against the Packers last week. Rarely have Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler both had good games this season. This week, they went for 80 and 70 yards on the ground, respectively. Gordon, in particular, hadn’t been himself after a long holdout, but last week he got into the end zone twice.
Quarterback Philip Rivers has seemed like the aging gunslinger he is this season, tending to throw bad picks when it counts. Last week he threw no interceptions and got the long ball going. Mike Williams had 111 yards receiving on just three receptions.
On defense, the story was the same. This unit is built around letting Bosa and Ingram doing their thing. Both men were finally healthy and in top form in the game against Green Bay. Bosa had four tackles, 1.5 sacks, and four QB hits. Ingram had 1.5 sacks as well, along with three tackles and two QB hits. While the defense remains weak overall, when these two shine, L.A. has a chance to win.
The Raiders have had a few games where things have gone as planned this season, and last week’s bout with the Lions was one of them. Rookie of the year contender Joshua Jacobs ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns while Derek Carr avoided turnovers.
Oakland’s defense is still not very good. Matt Stafford threw for over 400 yards and didn’t have to handle too much pressure along the way. But, last Sunday, they were good enough. However, the Raiders headed into the week at 28th in the DVOA rankings and likely won’t improve much from there.
These are similar teams: Bad defenses and inconsistent offenses will likely keep them out of the playoffs. But, they have the right weapons to beat anyone if things fall their way. The Chargers have knocked off the Packers but lost to the Steelers, Titans, and Broncos. The Raiders have beaten the Colts but have had weeks where they lose by 20 points.
With the Raiders and Chargers both within striking distance of a wild-card berth in the underwhelming AFC, a win here could spark a run for either team. By the same token, a loss for either squad would be deflating. While the barrier of entry for an AFC playoff berth is fairly low, a loss here should put either squad on the outside looking in.
We give a slight edge to the Chargers here because they have explosive players on both sides of the ball. But, since these teams have done nothing but surprise us all year, a Raiders win could easily be in the cards. Expect a game where anything can happen.
READ MORE:
- How to watch NFL RedZone without cable
- How to watch NFL Sunday Ticket without a DirecTV satellite
- How to watch NFL Network online (without cable)
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