Why You Can Trust CNET Bills vs. Chargers Livestream: How to Watch NFL Week 16 Online Today
Want to watch the Buffalo Bills play the LA Chargers? Interested in a commercial-free fourth quarter? Here's everything you need to stream Saturday's 8 p.m. ET game on Peacock.
The Bills may finally be on the right track. After a rocky first half of the season, Buffalo has now won two straight against strong opponents in the Chiefs and Cowboys to improve to 8-6 and is right in the thick of the AFC playoff picture.
On Saturday the Bills head to Los Angeles to take on a reeling 5-9 Chargers team that just got blown out 63-21 in Week 15's Thursday Night Football.
Kickoff for Saturday's game is called for 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). Whereas Saturday's first game was on NBC, this contest will stream nationally on Peacock (as well as on broadcast TV in the local Los Angeles and Buffalo markets). And in a first, the game will feature a commercial-free fourth quarter. The broadcast will stay with the game for the final 15 minutes, which is usually interrupted constantly by commercial breaks as coaches use their timeouts and referees conduct official reviews of close plays.
Keep reading to find out how to watch this game on Peacock -- and if you live in the home market of either the Bills or Chargers -- a local network channel.
You can also check out our full guide to streaming the NFL in 2023 for your viewing options for the rest of the season.
Josh Allen has notched up 26 passing touchdowns and 11 rushing touchdowns so far for the Bills this season.
Bills vs. Chargers game today: When and where?
This Week 16 NFL fixture sees the Chargers host the Bills at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on Saturday. The game will take place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, home of the Chargers.
How to watch the Bills vs. Chargers game online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game and that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic. It's also a great idea for when you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. If your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you've got a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free -- the equivalent of $6.67 a month -- if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
How to watch Bills vs. Chargers in the US
For those outside of the LA or Buffalo areas, this week's Bills-Chargers game will be available to watch nationally via streaming service Peacock.
Peacock Premium costs $6 per month and also carries Sunday Night Football games.
Peacock's $6-per-month Premium plan includes access to this game as well as Sunday Night Football and all the games that NBC airs.
Can I watch Bills vs. Chargers on local TV?
Yes, but only if you live in the local market of either of the teams playing on Thursday. WGRZ in Buffalo and KNBC in Los Angeles will be showing the game, according to 506 Sports. There are two ways to watch local channels on your TV. The first is with a live TV streaming service. The second is with an over-the-air antenna, if you live in an area that has good reception.
You can watch local networks with a live TV streaming service, but not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries the channel you need for the game in your area.
YouTube TV costs $73 a month and includes NBC. Plug in your ZIP code on YouTube TV's welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area. Read our YouTube TV review.
Fubo costs $75 a month and includes NBC in most markets. Click here to see which local channels you get. Read our Fubo review.
Hulu Plus Live TV costs $77 and includes NBC in most markets. On its live news page, you can enter your ZIP code under the "Can I watch local news in my area?" question at the bottom of the page to see which local channels you get. Read our Hulu Plus Live TV review.
DirecTV Stream's basic $80-a-month Entertainment package includes NBC in most markets. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels are available where you live. Read our DirecTV Stream review.
Sling TV's Sling Blue package includes local NBC stations, but only in a handful of markets. Sling Blue costs $45 a month in markets where it offers local networks and $40 elsewhere. Read our Sling TV review.
All the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.
Quick tips for streaming the Bills vs. Chargers game using a VPN
- With four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- experience and success may vary.
- If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.
- If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.