Win or lose, the Carolina Panthers and the Houston Texans don’t get extra credit for close games.
Both teams have played their opponents extremely tight through three weeks. For the 2-1 Texans, this has meant some close victories. For the 1-2 Panthers, this has meant some heartbreaking losses.
The Panthers notched their first win last week, as backup QB Kyle Allen filled in admirably for Cam Newton in the victory over the Cardinals. He had help from a decent receiving corps and a stellar running game led by Christian McCaffrey.
Carolina’s defense also played well last week. Donte Jackson led the team with two interceptions and the team notched a combined eight sacks. Overall this unit has played very well.
The Texans are a tougher opponent than Arizona, and you have to wonder if Allen will be able to keep up with Deshaun Watson (as Newton will miss at least one more week). In Carolina’s ugly loss to Tampa Bay, we learned that if McCaffrey doesn’t have an amazing game, it is tough for the Panthers to keep up.
That being said, the Texans aren’t perfect. If Deshaun Watson doesn’t play great football, it is hard for this team to win. In Week 2, when Jacksonville held the QB to 159 yards, the Jags showed how to beat Houston.
A resurgent Carlos Hyde has been good but not great as the Texans top rusher and the defense has been effective but not dominant. Opposing quarterbacks are averaging about 300 yards a game and Houston has only grabbed one interception on the year so far.
With the excellent Deshaun Watson matching up against backup Kyle Allen, you have to like the Texans here, but the fortunes of these two teams could easily be reversed. Don’t be surprised if this one comes down to the wire.
| HOW TO WATCH PANTHERS VS. TEXANS WITHOUT CABLE | |
| AIRTV | BUY NOW |
| HULU WITH LIVE TV | TRY NOW |
| FUBOTV | TRY NOW |
Carolina Panthers vs. Houston Texans
- When: Sunday, Sept. 29 at 1pm ET
- Where: NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas
- Streaming: Fox, NFL Sunday Ticket
There are a number of options for watching Panthers vs. Texans on streaming platforms that carry FOX. However, consult a coverage map to see what game your regional channel will be playing.
If a game is not being carried in your area, the only option might be an NFL Sunday Ticket package.
Panthers vs. Texans live stream: How to watch NFL online
1) Sling TV
- Cost: $25-$40 per month (40% off first month)
- Sling TV devices: Amazon Fire TVs, Android Fire Stick, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, Google Chromecast, Oculus Go, and iOS and Android devices
- Sling TV local channels: NBC, Fox (check your local availability here)
Both Sling Blue ($25 per month) or Sling Orange + Blue ($40 per month) include NFL Network and a number of sports channels—like three ESPN channels and NBCSN—and it’s still a nice perk that Sling subscribers can order a la carte packages. Sling TV also offers a special Latino package for bilingual viewers. Sling TV is currently offering a deal where you can subscribe for 40% off the regular price for the first month of your subscription. That means Sling Blue would cost $15, and Sling Orange + Blue would cost $25. (Here’s a complete guide to Sling TV channels and our Sling TV review.)
For $10 extra per month, you can get NFL RedZone via the Sling Blue Sports Extra package. However, as of Sept. 26, Sling no longer carries Fox, FS1, and FS2 amid contractual disputes.
How to use AirTV with Sling
AirTV solves one of Sling’s biggest problems: The inability to receive all of your local channels. By purchasing a basic AirTV for $79.99 or the AirTV Player for $119.99, you can merge those local channels into your Sling TV, (or on your mobile device if you have the basic AirTV). As the Daily Dot wrote in its AirTV review, “It’s practically magic.” While select football games are no longer on Sling, you can still catch them with AirTV.
The basic AirTV is a dual-tuner streaming device, while the AirTV Player is basically an upgraded Chromecast that has Netflix preinstalled. You’ll still need to own an HD antenna because even though AirTV gets you access to your local channels, it doesn’t actually physically show them to you.
But AirTV—which has no monthly fee—serves to strengthen one of Sling’s biggest weaknesses compared to other live streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue. All those services have plenty of local channels. While select football games are no longer on Sling, you can still catch them with AirTV. While select NFL and college football games (on Fox, FS1, and FS2) are no longer on Sling, you can still catch Fox games with AirTV.
2) FuboTV
- Cost: $54.99 per month
- FuboTV devices: Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV, iOS and Android devices
- FuboTV local channels: Fox, NBC, CBS (check local availability here)
If you’re a big-time sports fan, FuboTV is your best streaming service option. If you love international soccer and you’re a Spanish speaker, FuboTV also offers various add-on packages, including Fubo Latino and Fubo Português. FuboTV’s basic plan showcases nearly 100 channels and includes NFL Network. At $54.99 per month, you’ll also get FS1, FS2, NBCSN, NBA TV, Big Ten Network, Pac 12 Network, BeIn Sports, and CBS Sports Network, along with premium channels like FX/FXX/FXM. The only notable omission for sports fans is ESPN. You can add Fubo’s Sports Plus package for an additional $8.99 per month, which allows you to stream NFL RedZone to watch the Panthers vs. Texans. (Here’s the complete FuboTV channels list.)
3) PlayStation Vue
- Cost: $44.99-$79.99 per month
- PlayStation Vue devices: PlayStation 3 and 4, Roku, Amazon Fire, Google Chromecast, Kodi, iOS and Android devices
- PlayStation Vue local channels: NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
If you’d like to watch live NFL games directly from your PS4, PlayStation Vue is your best bet. PlayStation also works with streaming devices like Roku and Amazon Fire products, but what separates PlayStation from the rest of the streaming services is that it’s also compatible with Kodi. No matter how you stream, you’ll get to choose from four tiers of channels—all but the cheapest include NFL Network. From there, you can also add NFL RedZone as part of the $10-per-month Sports Pack, which also unlocks ESPN Bases Loaded, ESPN Classic, Longhorn Network, Outside TV, and NBCUniversal regional sports networks. You can see the full list of PlayStation Vue channels here. Two other great perks: You can stream on up to five devices at once, and there’s also unlimited cloud DVR.
4) Hulu with Live TV
- Cost: $44.99 per month
- Hulu devices: Roku, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and iOS and Android devices
- Hulu local channels: ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, the CW (check your local availability here)
Hulu with Live TV includes sports programming among its offerings with ESPN and FS1, and as a subscriber to the service, you’ll get free access to Hulu’s sizable on-demand library to watch the Panthers vs. Texans game. (Check out the full list of Hulu Live TV channels.)
5) YouTube TV
- Cost: $50 per month
- YouTube TV devices: Google Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, iOS and Android devices
- YouTube TV local channels: NBC, CBS, Fox, ABC, the CW (enter your ZIP code here to check your availability)
YouTube TV is a great option for college football fans, including ESPN and FS1. (Take a look at the full list of YouTube TV channels here.)
6) NFL Sunday Ticket
Cost: $73.99 per month for four months, or one single payment of $293.96
There are two—and only two—ways of acquiring NFL Sunday Ticket without DirecTV. There’s NFLSundayTicket.TV, which costs $73.99 per month for four months. It’s everything you love NFL Sunday Ticket but online-only. You can stream the Panthers vs. Texans from pretty much any device that connects to the internet (but only on one device at a time).
You can also upgrade to the NFLST.TV Max bundle for a total of $99 per month for four months or one single payment of $395.99. You can also add on NFL Game Pass, which allows you to watch replays of every game after they air, for $50 for the full season.
There’s another way to watch NFL Sunday Ticket without DirecTV: Amazon Prime. While you can’t pay for the package using Amazon Prime, you can at least watch all of the games on the service. To start, first download the NFL Sunday Ticket channel on Amazon Prime. It’s free. From there, you’ll just need to sign in with your subscription credentials.
College students can purchase NFL Sunday Ticket at a discounted price through NFLSundayTicket.TV U.
TRY NFL SUNDAY TICKET ON AMAZON PRIME
Fantasy Football: Who should I start?
Panthers – Greg Olsen, Tight End: You don’t need us to tell you to start Christian McCaffrey, so we’ll sing the praises of the ageless Olsen instead. The veteran has been good for around five targets, 50 yards, and a touchdown every week. That makes him easily a top ten option at tight end.
Texans – DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver: Hopkins and Watson might actually be the only Texans who are sure-fire starters in all formats this week. Carlos Hyde has been good, but you might have better options. Even against a solid Carolina defense, you can feel good sticking with Hopkins.
Panthers vs. Texans: Why it matters
Few Week 4 games are as important in terms of standings as this one.
A loss here could put Carolina firmly in last place in their division. No one in the NFC South is a world beater, but the Panthers could be left behind if the Saints have another nice outing.
While the Texans sit at the top of their division, their reign is precarious. Though the Colts and the Jaguars are both starting backup quarterbacks, those squads have played well. There isn’t a big margin for error.
If Watson plays up to his usual standards, it is hard to see the Panthers hanging with the Texans. At the same time, if the passing game stalls, the serviceable tandem of Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde may not be able to keep pace with Christian McCaffrey.
It’s also not impossible to imagine the Panthers defense coming up with some big plays. Few quarterbacks can endure a performance like Carolina put up last week.
For now, this game tips to the Texans, but these teams may prove closer than their records indicate.
READ MORE:
- How to watch NFL RedZone without cable
- How to watch NFL Sunday Ticket without a DirecTV satellite
- How to watch NFL Network online (without cable)
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