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The cheapest streaming service that includes every channel that will have Lions games is Hulu With Live TV. For more info about Hulu With Live TV and other live stream options, read on below.
In Matt Patricia’s second season, the Detroit Lions are looking to snap a streak of mediocrity and compete in a stacked NFC North — a division Detroit hasn’t won since 1993.
Lions games this year will be on either Fox (12 games–televised in select markets), CBS (2 games–televised in select markets) or ESPN (1 game–nationally televised).
If you don’t have cable, you can watch Lions games live on your computer, phone, Roku, Fire TV Stick, Xbox One, PS4 or other streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
In-Market & Nationally Televised Games: Hulu With Live TV
Lions Channels Included: Fox, CBS, ESPN (Fox and CBS are available live in Detroit and other select markets)
Price: $44.99 per month
Not only is this the cheapest streaming service that includes every channel that will have a Lions game this season, but Hulu With Live TV also comes with Hulu’s extensive Netflix-like on-demand library of TV shows and movies.
You can sign up for Hulu with Live TV right here, and you can then watch Lions games live on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show, or other streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch a game live, Hulu With Live TV comes with 50 hours of cloud DVR space, as well as the option to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of space and the ability to fast-forward through commercials.
In-Market & Nationally Televised Games: FuboTV
Lions Channels Included: Fox, CBS (both available live in Detroit and other select markets), NFL Network, NFL RedZone (Sports Plus add-on)
Price: $54.99 per month; $10.99 per month for Sports Plus add-on
ESPN isn’t included, but there’s just one Lions game on ESPN during the season, and otherwise FuboTV is a fantastic option. It comes with 100-plus channels in the main bundle, it includes NFL Network and NFL RedZone (Sports Plus add-on), it has some Fox games in 4K and it’s largely tailored towards sports.
You can start a free seven-day trial of FuboTV right here, and you can then watch Lions games live on your computer via the FuboTV website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, or other supported device via the FuboTV app.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV comes included with 30 hours of cloud DVR space, as well as a 72-hour look-back feature, which will allow you to watch games on-demand within three days of their conclusion, even if you don’t record them.
In-Market & Nationally Televised Games: Sling TV & CBS All Access
Lions Channels Included: Fox (Sling Blue), ESPN (Sling Orange), CBS (Amazon Prime’s CBS Channel or CBS All-Access)
Price: $40 per month for Sling Blue + Orange ($25 per month for either bundle separately); $5.99 per month for Prime’s CBS Channel or CBS All-Access
This option is $46 per month all together, but it quickly gets more expensive if you want what some of the above streaming services offer, such as DVR ($5 per month) or NFL RedZone ($10 per month). Plus, CBS isn’t included, so there’s the extra hassle of needing to use a second streaming service for those games. But if you just want the Fox games (12 Lions games will be on Fox), “Sling Blue” is a good, cheap option for that.
You can sign up for Sling TV right here, and you can then watch Lions games live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or other streaming device via the Sling TV app.
For the CBS games, you can watch through either Amazon Prime’s CBS Channel or CBS All-Access:
If you have Amazon Prime or want to start a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, you can watch all live and on-demand CBS content via the CBS All-Access Amazon Channel, which costs $5.99 per month and comes with a 7-day free trial.
Once you’re signed up for both Amazon Prime and the CBS channel, you can then watch a live stream of the CBS games on your computer via the Amazon website, or you can watch on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or other streaming device via the Amazon Video app.
This is ultimately the same as the Amazon Prime option, only you’re watching through CBS’ digital platform rather than Amazon’s.
You can start a free 7-day trial right here, and then you can watch a live stream of the CBS games on your computer via the CBS website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or other streaming device via the CBS app.
Out-of-Market Games
SundayTicket.TV allows you to watch a live stream of games that are out of your market and aren’t nationally televised. The service isn’t widely available, though, as it’s available for people who live in residences that can’t get satellite (apartments, condos, etc.), as well as residents of San Francisco, Philadelphia and New York City. You can check here to see if you’re eligible.
Additionally, most college students can get this service via SundayTicket U.
Once signed up, you can watch games on your computer via the NFL Sunday Ticket website, or you can watch on your phone, tablet or other streaming device via the NFL Sunday Ticket app, which is free to download on many different devices.
Watch on Your Phone: NFL Mobile
Streaming of in-market and prime-time games can be watched on your phone via the NFL Mobile app.
If You’re in Canada: DAZN
Viewers in Canada can watch every regular season and postseason NFL game live online via DAZN, a digital streaming service that also includes NFL Network, NFL RedZone, Premier League soccer, Champions League soccer, boxing and other live sports for $20 per month or $150 per year.
You can sign up for a free one-month trial of DAZN Canada right here, and you can then watch a live stream of Lions games and every other NFL game on your computer via DAZN.com, or on your phone, tablet, smart TV, Roku, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the DAZN app.
Watch Games on Demand: NFL Game Pass
If you’re fine watching games on-demand, another option is NFL Game Pass Domestic, which allows you to watch replays of every NFL game for a fee of $99.99 for the season. No live games are available under this service, but you’ll be able to watch them later in the day.
Once signed up, you can watch games on-demand on your computer via the NFL Game Pass website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the NFL Mobile app, which can be downloaded for free on a handful of different devices.
If You’re Outside the United States & Mexico
If you’re not in the United States, surrounding territories, or Mexico, you can watch NFL games live via NFL Game Pass International. The cost of the package depends on which country you’re in.
Once signed up, you can watch games on your computer via the NFL Game Pass website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the NFL Mobile app, which can be downloaded for free on a handful of different devices.
Lions 2019 Season Preview
The Lions are coming off a disappointing 6-10 season that saw them finish last in the NFC North in Matt Patricia’s first year at the helm in Detroit.
Detroit finished 28th last season in total offense, with quarterback Matt Stafford having one of his worst seasons as a pro. Stafford passed for just 3,777 yards and 21 touchdowns.
The Lions brought in veteran coordinator Darrell Bevell in the offseason to replace Jim Bob Cooter. Bevell previously spent seven seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
“For coach Bevell and I, we’ve got to put our relationship in fast forward,” Stafford said at training camp. “The sooner we’re seeing eye to eye and understanding what each other like, and what we’re thinking, the better for this offense. We’ve had some great conversations. I’ve done everything I can to try and dive into this playbook and make sure that I’m pushing the other guys in this offense to catch up and make sure were going at the level we need to. We’ve got a talented team. There’s no time to sit around. Let’s go win some games and do it at a high level.”
The Lions offense is expected to utilize the run more than in years past, mostly due to the emergence of second-year back Kerryon Johnson.
Despite playing in just 10 games last season, Johnson rushed for 641 yards and a trio of touchdowns. His 101-yard game against the Patriots on Sept. 23 was historic, breaking a streak of 70 regular season games where the Lions did not have a 100-yard rusher.
“We can’t give them the ball back,” Patricia told The Athletic this offseason when discussing the importance of a strong run game. “We’ve got to be able to block, be able to get to our holes and make people miss. You’ve got to run the ball and chew the clock. You’ve got to control the game.”
On the defensive side of the ball — Patricia’s specialty — the Lions added defensive end Trey Flowers and cornerback Justin Coleman via free agency to help out.
OddsShark has the Lions’ win total at a modest seven wins in 2019 — the lowest in the division. The Packers, Bears and Vikings are all listed at nine. It makes sense, considering the Lions haven’t won the NFC North in more than a quarter-century and have made the playoffs just once in the last four seasons.