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Not all of Week 17 is meaningless. The Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons matchup is a prime example of that, as the two NFC South squads meet for a critical battle this weekend. While the Panthers still have an outside shot at winning the division should New Orleans slip up against Tampa Bay, the Falcons likely need a win to get into the playoffs.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET and will be broadcast in select markets on FOX. When looking for a live stream, the first thing you want to do is to find out if the game is in your market or not, which you can do by checking a coverage map here.
If the game is in your market, you can watch on your computer or on another streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services. They cost a monthly fee but all come with a free trial, so you can watch today’s game at no cost:
FuboTV: Fox (live in 70-plus markets) is included in the “Fubo Premier” channel package, which is $19.99 per month for the first two months and $39.99 per month after that. It comes with a free 7-day trial, and you can watch on your computer via your browser, or on your tablet or streaming device via the FuboTV app
DirecTV Now: Fox (live in 39 markets) is included in all four channel packages, ranging from $35 to $70 per month. It comes with a free 7-day trial no matter what package you choose, plus you can get $25 off your first month if you enter promo code “BDAY2017”. You can watch on your computer via your browser, or on your tablet or streaming device via the DirecTV Now app
Sling TV: Fox (live in 17 markets) is included in the “Sling Blue” channel package for $25 per month. It comes with a free 7-day trial, and you can watch on your computer via your browser, or on your tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app
If the game isn’t in your market, you may be able to watch via NFL Sunday Ticket.
Preview
It’s simple for the Falcons: Win, and they’re into the playoffs. Lose, and they’ll need the Seahawks to lose at home to the Cardinals in order to sneak into the postseason.
“We know what is there, and that’s what is so exciting,” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said.
The Panthers ground out a 20-17 victory when these teams met in Carolina in early November, but it was far from a convincing win. The Falcons had more total yards (355-330), had nearly a yard more per play (6.1-5.2), won the takeaway battle (2-1) and were far more effective through the air. Alas, the Panthers got some big plays on the ground from Cam Newton and Christian McCaffrey, leading to 201 total yards on the ground, and they ultimately did enough to pull out the narrow victory despite falling behind 10-0 early.
Since that game, the Falcons have gone 5-2 overall and 3-1 at home, while the Panthers are 5-1 overall but just 1-1 away from home. The Falcons are favored by four points, and the over/under is set at 45.