It’s always hard to tell what a squad will look like before the regular season begins, but Sunday’s Vikings vs. Falcons matchup might be one of the most evenly matched contests of Week 1.
Both teams have quarterbacks who put up a ton of yards despite flashes of inconsistency. Both have all-star talent at receiver. Both have punishing running backs. And yet, both the Falcons and the Vikings haven’t quite been able to put it together in recent years.
The outcome of this game could come down to individual matchups. Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones might be limited by cornerback Xavier Rhodes. If Rhodes can contain Jones, the Vikings could well outpace the Falcons offense with their receiver combo of Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
At running back, both teams’ top rushers could tip the scales. Both Dalvin Cook and Devonta Freeman were hampered by injuries last season. If either back stays healthy, they could be top rushers.
Atlanta and Minnesota each have defensive players who could be difference-makers in this game. If the Falcons offensive line doesn’t have an answer for defensive ends Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen, the Vikings could rattle Matt Ryan. Likewise, if defensive tackle Grady Jarrett earns his massive contract extension, Kirk Cousins could find himself under pressure quite often.
With squads as evenly matched as Atlanta and Minnesota, any player could break out.
| HOW TO WATCH VIKINGS VS. FALCONS | |
| HULU WITH LIVE TV | TRY NOW |
| SLING TV | TRY NOW |
| PLAYSTATION VUE | TRY NOW |
| FUBOTV | TRY NOW |
Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons
- When: Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1pm ET
- Where: US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Streaming: FOX, NFL Sunday Ticket
There are a number of options for watching Vikings vs. Falcons on streaming platforms that carry FOX. However, consult a coverage map to see what game your regional channel will be playing.
If a game is not being carried in your area, the only option might be an NFL Sunday Ticket package.
Vikings vs. Falcons live stream: How to watch NFL 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
Fubo TV streaming FOX NFL" class="wp-image-631984" src="https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/vikings_falcons_fubo.jpg"/>- 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
Playstation Vue streaming FOX NFL" class="wp-image-631985" src="https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/vikings_falcons_playstation_vue-807x512.jpg"/>- 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.
4) Hulu with Live TV
Hulu streaming FOX NFL" class="wp-image-631986" src="https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/vikings_falcons_hulu.jpg"/>- Cost: $44.99 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
- 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
YouTube TV FOX NFL streaming" class="wp-image-631987" src="https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/vikings_falcons_youtube_TV.jpg"/>- Cost: $50 per month (after a 7-day free trial)
- 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 ESPNand FS1. (Take a look at the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)
6) NFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket FOX streaming" class="wp-image-631988" src="https://www.dailydot.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/vikings_falcons_NFLSundayTicket.jpg"/>Cost: $73.99 per month for four months, or one single payment of $293.96
There are two—and only two—ways of acquiring NFL Sunday Ticket without DirecTV. There’s NFLSundayTicket.TV, which costs $73.99 per month for four months. It’s everything you love NFL Sunday Ticket but online-only. You can stream from pretty much any device that connects to the internet (but only on one device at a time).
You can also upgrade to the NFLST.TV Max bundle for a total of $99 per month for four months or one single payment of $395.99. You can also add on NFL Game Pass, which allows you to watch replays of every game after they air, for $50 for the full season.
There’s another way to watch NFL Sunday Ticket without DirecTV: Amazon Prime. While you can’t pay for the package using Amazon Prime, you can at least watch all of the games on the service. To start, first download the NFL Sunday Ticket channel on Amazon Prime. It’s free. From there, you’ll just need to sign in with your subscription credentials.
College students can purchase NFL Sunday Ticket at a discounted price through NFLSundayTicket.TV U.
Vikings vs. Falcons: Why it matters
Atlanta and Minnesota could both factor in the postseason if they can improve a bit on what they put on the field last year. Talent isn’t the issue for either team. They just have to get results in big games.
A win here would start either team on the right foot for 2019. While the Vikings will likely muster more defensive pressure than the Falcons, Matt Ryan is probably still a better quarterback than Kirk Cousins; Ryan has a stronger resume and a better reputation when it counts.
Though the slight edge probably goes to Atlanta, this match should be exciting. A breakout performance from a key player on either side of the ball could be enough to tip the balance between these potential NFL contenders.
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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