On Sunday night, the Browns face a real test.
It’s tempting to write off the Cleveland Browns Week 1 loss as a fluke after the team’s stronger Week 2. If this Browns team can keep it going against a dominant Los Angeles Rams squad, it would go a long way toward proving this team can contend in the AFC North.
After a shaky start, the Browns looked like the team they were expected to be against a depleted Jets squad last week. Mayfield threw for over 300 yards. Stud pass catcher Odell Beckham Jr. went for 161 yards and a touchdown. Running back Nick Chubb added a TD of his own. On defense, Myles Garrett notched 3 sacks. All was right with the world.
This was how it was supposed to go. It was also a sharp contrast to Week 1, when Mayfield threw three picks and the team lost by 30.
Where the road has been bumpy for Cleveland, the Rams are rolling. Los Angeles stomped the Saints last week after an injured Drew Brees left the game.
There have been some quibbles with this Rams squad. It has taken a while for the offense to get going thanks to weak offensive line play. The special teams unit has had some shaky moments early on as well.
But, none of that matters once this Rams team starts firing on all cylinders, and that’s what usually happens. The receivers went crazy last week, led by a 120-yard day from Cooper Kupp. The team added over 100 yards on the ground. And the defense, led by a dominant Aaron Donald, did their job.
It would be a shocker if the Browns upset the Rams this week, but if they hold their own in a narrow loss, Cleveland fans should still be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Cleveland Browns vs. Los Angeles Rams
- When: Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8:20pm ET (coverage begins at 7pm ET)
- Where: FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio
- Streaming: Sunday Night Football airs exclusively on NBC and is available on any platform that carries the network. Fans have a number of options for streaming the week’s marquee game.
Browns vs. Rams live stream: How to watch Sunday Night Football online
1) Sling TV
- Cost: $25-$40 per month (40% off first month)
- Sling TV devices: Amazon Fire TVs, Android Fire Stick, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, Google Chromecast, Oculus Go, and iOS and Android devices
- Sling TV local channels: NBC, Fox (check your local availability here)
Both Sling Blue ($25 per month) or Sling Orange + Blue ($40 per month) include NFL Network and a number of sports channels—like three ESPN channels, NBCSN, and FS1—and it’s still a nice perk that Sling subscribers can order a la carte packages. Sling TV also offers a special Latino package for bilingual viewers. Sling TV is currently offering a deal where you can subscribe for 40% off the regular price for the first month of your subscription. That means Sling Blue would cost $15, and Sling Orange + Blue would cost $25. (Here’s a complete guide to Sling TV channels and our Sling TV review.)
For $10 extra per month, you can get NFL RedZone via the Sling Blue Sports Extra package.
How to use AirTV with Sling
AirTV solves one of the 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.
2) 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 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 showcases 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 allows you to stream NFL RedZone, (Here’s the complete FuboTV channels list.)
3) PlayStation Vue
- Cost: $44.99-$79.99 per month
- PlayStation Vue devices: PlayStation 3 and 4, Roku, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, Kodi, iOS and Android devices
- PlayStation Vue local channels: NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
If you’d like to watch live NFL games directly from your PS4, PlayStation Vue is your best bet. PlayStation also works with streaming devices like Roku and Amazon Fire products, but what separates PlayStation from the rest of the streaming services is that it’s also compatible with Kodi. No matter how you stream, you’ll get to choose from four tiers of channels—all but the cheapest include NFL Network. From there, you can also add NFL RedZone as part of the $10-per-month Sports Pack, which also unlocks ESPN Bases Loaded, ESPN Classic, Longhorn Network, Outside TV, and NBCUniversal regional sports networks. You can see the full list of PlayStation Vue channels here. Two other great perks: You can stream on up to five devices at once, and there’s also unlimited cloud DVR.
4) 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.)
5) 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.)
6) NBC Sports app
Devices: Roku, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox, iOS and Android devices
If you have cable, or one of the aforementioned live TV streaming services, you can download the NBC Sports app and watch Sunday Night Football there in HD. If you’re using a web browser, you may need to install the latest version of Adobe Flash and your browser will need to be current enough to support HTML5 Media Source Extensions. You’ll also need a minimum internet connection of 10-plus Mbps. (Here are some tips for faster WiFi.)
Browns vs. Rams: Why it matters
With Drew Brees poised to miss six weeks of football, and uninspired starts from the bulk of the NFC South and NFC North, the Rams could pull away in the conference after only a few weeks of football. Only the Cowboys seem like a match in terms of fire power, so another Super Bowl run might be in the cards for this Rams squad.
A Cleveland team that seemed ready to come into its own has faced some unexpected challenges. A resurgent Ravens team lead by Lamar Jackson looks like a real threat, even if the Steelers have stumbled. A few more losses could dim that dream of a division title for the Dawg Pound.
For the Browns, this is a “prove it” game. Show that your offseason additions have made your offense more dynamic. Show that your defense can rattle a good team. Show that you aren’t the same old Browns.
It is likely that the Rams will walk away with a win in this game, but just how difficult Baker Mayfield and company can make this game for them will speak volumes about the true growth of this Cleveland Browns team.
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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