As the preseason reaches its final week, the Los Angeles Chargers are hitting the road to take on the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Thursday.
The game starts at 10 p.m. ET. For in-market viewers, it will be televised on various local channels (ABC in Los Angeles, CBS in San Francisco). For out-of-market viewers, it will be on NFL Network. If you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream of the game on your computer, phone or streaming device via one of the following live-TV streaming services:
Fox, NBC, CBS, CW (all live in select markets; view channels in your area) and NFL Network are among the 95-plus live TV channels included in the main FuboTV bundle, which is largely tailored towards sports. ABC isn’t included, so fans in Los Angeles will want to use a different option.
You can start a free seven-day trial of FuboTV right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the Chargers vs 49ers 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 with 30 hours of cloud DVR space, as well as a 72-hour look-back feature, which allows you to watch the game on-demand within three days of its conclusion, even if you don’t record it.
If the game is on CBS in your area (as it is in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Las Vegas, Bakersfield and Monterey), and you don’t need any other channels, Amazon Prime’s CBS channel is a great option.
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 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 Chargers vs 49ers 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.
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 60-plus live TV channels, including Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC and CW (all live in select markets; view channels in your area). NFL Network is not included, so this is an option for in-market viewers only.
You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the Chargers vs 49ers 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 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.
If You’re in Canada: DAZN
Viewers in Canada can watch every preseason, 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 right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the Chargers vs 49ers 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.
Chargers vs. 49ers Preview
As the preseason hits its final week, most teams will take a long, hard look at the deepest part of their depth charts with 53-man roster cuts on the horizon. Few, if any starters usually see the field in the preseason finale.
Most teams play just four preseason games — the exception being the two teams who play in the annual Hall of Fame Game — hoping to find a balance between staying sharp and avoiding injuries. That being said, there are always injuries that arise in the exhibition games that leave teams and fans with their heads in their hands.
The Chargers haven’t won a game this preseason, losing to the Cardinals, Seahawks and Saints. However, the team isn’t too worried about dropping the exhibition games.
“It does matter,” head coach Anthony Lynn said. “It’s a game. They keep score for a reason and we want to come out on top. I made a decision before camp that there were certain guys that were not going to play, and some guys that were going to play but not very much. I looked at our team last year at the end of the season, I thought we were a little tired. We had some injuries here and there and some guys were worn down. I just feel like it’s going to help in the long run.”
With running back Melvin Gordon holding out, Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson have seen the majority of reps as the Chargers look for a solution.
It’s been a difficult preseason in general for the Chargers, also getting news that Derwin James — a first-team All-Pro pick as a rookie last season at safety — would miss significant time with a foot injury he suffered in the preseason.
San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo bounced back from a tough showing in the preseason with a 14-of-20, 188-yard performance against the the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend. He also tossed a touchdown to running back Matt Breida.
With Garoppolo expected to sit, the battle on the field will be for his backup job between Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard. Both started games last season as Garoppolo recovered from a torn ACL. The loser of the battle could conceivably be used as a trade chip, as many teams around the league are looking for capable backup help.
The 49ers kickoff their season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 8, while the Chargers host the Colts the same day in Los Angeles.
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How to Watch Chargers vs 49ers Preseason Online Without Cable