For many NFL players, Week 4 is the most important game of the season. While the superstars will likely spend most of the matchup on the bench, players on the roster bubble will be fighting for a chance to stay in the league.
Regular-season expectations are high for both the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets. While the Eagles look forward to potentially having a healthy Carson Wentz for the entire season—though he hasn’t played in the preseason—the Jets are looking at one of the strongest squads they’ve fielded in recent memory.
Week 4 will provide an opportunity for these two teams to bolster their roster and prepare for what both teams hope will be a successful 2019 campaign.
Landing highly-sought running back Le’Veon Bell and re-signing dependable veteran Bilal Powell means the Jets are deep at running back. Therefore, Trenton Cannon and Elijah McGuire will have to fight it out to make the squad. Cannon notched almost 100 total yards last week against the Saints, so it’s now or never for McGuire this week.
At linebacker, an intriguing position battle has developed between James Burgess and Albert McClellan. Jets insiders aren’t sure which of them has a stronger chance at making the team, and this final preseason game could decide which of them will back up this linebacking unit.
Two defensive position battles are key in Philadelphia. Safety and defensive end slots will be hotly contested on Thursday. Josh Sweat, Daeshon Hall, and Shareef Miller are all vying for what is likely the final DE spot on the roster. Based on performance, the job should go to Hall, but a strong Week 4 from the others could change that.
At safety, veteran Johnathan Cyprien finds himself on the roster bubble, and a stronger performance from Rudy Ford or Deiondre’ Hall could make Cyprien the odd man out on a squad that may only carry four full-time safeties into the season.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Jets
- When: Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7pm ET
- Where: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Streaming: NFL Network (free trials with various streaming services)
How to watch the Eagles vs. Jets online
The Eagles vs. Jets game continues the NFL Network’s run of nationally televising NFL preseason games, but even if you’ve cut the cable cord or you want to watch it on your mobile device, there are plenty of ways to accomplish that. But first, you’ll need to get acquainted with NFL Network.
What is NFL Network?
If you want to be immersed in pro football, NFL Network is the place to go. 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 power rankings and fantasy football that football lovers will geek out over. 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, you need NFL Network.
Eagles vs. Jets live stream: How to watch NFL Network
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)
If you want to watch the Eagles vs. Jets online via Sling TV, you’ll need to be subscribed to either Sling Blue ($25 per month) or Sling Orange + Blue ($40 per month). Both of those packages 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.)
2) FuboTV
- Cost: $54.99 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
- 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 (after a 5-day free trial)
- 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.
Other ways to watch NFL Network online
1) 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 a cable provider—or you know someone who does and they owe you a relatively large 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.
Eagles vs. Jets: Why it matters
No one wants to think about injuries in the preseason, but if stars like Le’Veon Bell and Malcolm Jenkins miss time, players like Rudy Ford and Trenton Cannon could become household names.
While the Eagles and Jets are expected to improve, even one short-term injury can derail a team that isn’t a juggernaut. Philadelphia narrowly squeaked into the playoffs last year and then narrowly lost to the Saints. If this year’s squad is similar, the margins could make all the difference.
The Jets just want to stop rebuilding. Coming in dead last in the AFC East in four of the last five seasons, means it’s going to take more than Le’Veon Bell and a more experienced Sam Darnold to turn things around. If this squad is going to avoid yet another 4-12 or 5-11 effort, they are going to need to field a more impressive roster from top to bottom.
Tune in on Thursday to see what players could make the difference for these squads, and which players might have to watch the regular season from the practice squad or the comfort of their homes.
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