Why You Can Trust CNET Packers vs. Bucs Livestream: How to Watch NFL Week 3 From Anywhere in the US
Looking to watch the Green Bay Packers take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Here's everything you need to watch Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET game that airs on Fox.
While we've taken these matchups for granted, at some point Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady will need to retire, right? The veteran Super Bowl champion quarterbacks will continue to fight Father Time -- and each other -- on Sunday afternoon when the Packers and Bucs meet up in Tampa.
The game will be shown on Fox nationally, and in the Tampa and Green Bay areas on live TV streaming services, but there may be cases where you're blocked because of an internet location glitch or just want an added layer of privacy for streaming.
There's an option that doesn't require subscribing to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus, or searching the internet for a sketchy website: a virtual private network, or VPN. Here's how you can watch the game from anywhere in the US with a VPN.
Read more: NFL 2022: How to Watch, Stream Every Game Live Without Cable
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers head to Florida to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Packers vs. Bucs: When and where?
For Week 3 of the NFL season, the Packers are taking on the Bucs at 4:25 p.m. ET (1:25 p.m. PT). The game is set to take place in Tampa, Florida, at Raymond James Stadium.
How to watch the Packers vs. Bucs game online from anywhere using a VPN
If you find yourself unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, 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, and it's also a great idea for when you may be 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. So 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, nonblackout 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 setup correctly to prevent leaks, however: 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 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free -- the equivalent of $6.67 per month -- if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Livestream the Packers vs. Bucs game in the US
This week's Packers vs. Bucs game is on Fox, so in addition to a VPN you'll need a live TV streaming service that carries a local Fox affiliate that is broadcasting the game. The least expensive such service is Sling TV Blue. You'll need to be subscribed to Sling Blue to be able to watch the game, and you'll need to switch your VPN to the Tampa Bay or Milwaukee areas, or one in a market like New York that should be getting the game nationally.
Among the live TV streaming services that carry local Fox stations, the cheapest is Sling TV Blue at $35 per month. Note that Sling is currently running a promotion where the first month of service is half-price ($17.50) for new subscribers.
One important caveat: In our experience, Fox local affiliates will only be available if your billing address is in one of the 18 metropolitan areas covered in Sling's agreement. If you're outside of one of these areas, you're probably better off going with one of the alternate services listed below.
Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local Fox stations as well, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels, including football-specific channels like Fox, ESPN, NFL Network and/or RedZone. Check out our live TV streaming channel guide for details.
Quick tips
You can watch the game on Sling TV in the Tampa Bay market.
- As noted above, Sling Blue is only an option if and when the ability to get Fox local affiliates is active on your account. You may want to verify that your billing address is eligible for that option before committing your credit card.
- With three variables at play -- your ISP, video streaming provider and VPN -- experience and success may vary.
- Sling Blue doesn't offer the local Fox channel in Green Bay, so the best way to watch the game is through Tampa Bay. Alternatively, you can also go through the New York market on both Sling and Express VPN.