Essentials

How to watch the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game tonight

By Meredith Gordon, Fox Van Allen

Edited By Leslie Gornstein, Fox Van Allen

November 5, 2023 / 4:00 AM EST / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on against the San Francisco 49ers during the third quarter of an NFL football game at Levi's Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

A game of two terrific offenses squaring off, the Buffalo Bills face the Cincinnati Bengals today. Joe Burrow is gaining traction after a calf injury dogged him all season. Will it be enough to turn the Bengals season around? Keep reading for all the ways you can watch and find out.

$WATCH NFL ON SLING TV at Sling TV

How to watch the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game

The Sunday night matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals will be played Sunday, Nov. 5 at 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 p.m. PT). The game will air on NBC and stream live on Peacock, Sling TV and other providers.

How to watch the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game without cable

While most cable packages include NBC, it's easy to watch the game if NBC isn't included in your cable TV subscription, or if you don't have cable at all. Your best options for watching are below. (Streaming options will require an internet provider.)

Watch the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game on Peacock

Peacock offers its subscribers live streaming access to NFL games that air on NBC, including today's matchup and future Sunday Night Football games. The streaming service has plenty more live sports to offer, including Big Ten football, Premier League soccer and WWE wrestling (including formerly PPV-only events such as Wrestlemania). There's 80,000 hours worth of recorded content to watch as well, including hit movies and TV series such as "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation."

A Peacock subscription costs $6 per month. An annual plan is available for $60 per year. You can cancel anytime.

Top features of Peacock:

If you only want to watch this game, it's your least expensive option. If you want to watch stream NFL games on other networks, there are better choices below.
Peacock features plenty of current and classic NBC and Bravo TV shows.

$6 per month at Peacock

Stream the game on Sling TV for half price

NBC is included in most cable TV packages. If you have don't have cable TV that includes NBC, ABC, Fox or ESPN, one of the most cost-effective ways to stream live NFL football this year is through a subscription to Sling TV. The streamer offers access to the NFL Network, local NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available) and ESPN with its Orange + Blue Tier plan. Also worth noting: Sling TV comes with 50 hours of cloud-based DVR recording space included, perfect for recording all the season's top NFL matchups.

That plan normally costs $60 per month, but the streamer is currently offering a 50% off promotion for your first month, so you'll pay just $30. You can learn more by tapping the button below.

Top features of Sling TV Orange + Blue tier:

There are 46 channels to watch in total, including local NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available).
You get access to most local NFL games and nationally broadcast games at the lowest price.
All subscription tiers include 50 hours of cloud-based DVR storage.

$30 at Sling TV

Watch the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game free with FuboTV

You can also catch the game on FuboTV. FuboTV is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to almost every NFL game of the season. Packages include CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network, NFL RedZone and more, so you'll be able to watch more than just today's games.

To watch the NFL without cable, start a seven-day free trial of Fubo. You can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer. Fox, so you know, offers Sunday NFC games via "NFL on Fox"; while ESPN is the home of "Monday Night Football." ABC airs some "MNF" games, too.

In addition to NFL football, FuboTV offers MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games. FuboTV starts at $75 per month for the Pro tier (includes NFL Network); the $100 per month Ultimate tier includes NFL RedZone.

Top features of FuboTV:

The Pro tier includes 169 channels, including NFL Network; the Ultimate tier includes 289 channels, including NFL RedZone.
FuboTV includes all the channels you'll need to watch live sports, including CBS (not available through Sling TV).
All tiers come with 1,000 hours of DVR recording.

Start your FuboTV free trial

Watch the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game on Hulu + Live TV

You can watch the NFL, including the NFL Network, with Hulu + Live TV. The bundle features access to 90 channels, including both Fox and FS1. Unlimited DVR storage is also included. Watch every game on every network with Hulu + Live TV, plus catch live NFL preseason games, exclusive live regular season games, popular studio shows (including NFL Total Access and the Emmy-nominated show Good Morning Football) and lots more.

Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+ for $77 per month.

$77 per month at Hulu

Watch NFL football live with a digital HDTV antenna

If you're cutting the cord to your cable company, you're not alone; in fact, you are in luck. You can still watch the NFL on TV with an affordable indoor antenna, which pulls in local over-the-air HDYC channels such as CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and PBS. Here's the kicker: There's no monthly charge.

Anyone living in partially blocked-off area (those near mountains or first-floor apartments), a digital TV antenna may not pick up a good signal – or any signal at all. But for many homes, a digital TV antenna provides a seriously inexpensive way to watch college football without paying a staggering monthly fee. Indoor TV antennas can also provide some much-needed TV backup if a storm knocks out your cable (or your cable company gets in a squabble with a network).

This amplified HDTV antenna, claims to have a 50-mile range and offers 36 channels. It's rated 4.0 stars by Amazon reviewers.

Said one Amazon customer, "When the price of this antenna dropped to $50, it was competitively priced with what you would find on the shelves at your local Radio Shack. If you're considering this product, you're probably already questioning your cable television bill and are looking around for a cheap way to get the Big 3 plus Fox and PBS. This antenna delivered that for us right out of the box."

$60 at Amazon

Watch the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game on your phone with NFL+

If you want to catch tonight's game on your phone -- and all the amazing football ahead this season -- check out NFL+. The premium streaming service, starting at $40 per year (or $7 per month), offers access to NFL Network. And yes, that includes games being broadcast out-of-market. To boost your NFL experience even further, you can upgrade to NFL+ Premium with NFL RedZone and watch up to eight NFL games simultaneously. A seven-day, free trial is available.

Top features of NFL+:

You get access to all NFL preseason games, including those that are out of market.
NFL+ lets you watch stream local and primetime regular season games on your phone or tablet, but not your TV.
Includes the NFL Network (and NFL RedZone with NFL+ Premium), so it's a good option for those who are looking to stream football on the go.

$7 per month at NFL+

2023 NFL Season Week 9 Schedule

The 2023 NFL Season Week 9 schedule is below. All times listed ET. The game you see broadcast locally will depend on your geographical area.

Thursday, Nov. 2

Tennessee Titans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:15 p.m. (Prime Video)

Sunday, Nov. 5

Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network live from Germany)
Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
Seattle Seahawks vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1.00 p.m. (CBS)
Arizona Cardinals vs. Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
LA Rams vs Green Bay Packers, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Houston Texans 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Washington Commanders vs. New England Patriots, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
Chicago Bears vs. New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
Indianapolis Colts vs Carolina Panthers, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)
NY Giants vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. (Fox)
Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

Monday, Nov. 6

LA Chargers vs. New York Jets, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)

Storyline we're following this NFL season

Important dates to remember:

The 2023 NFL regular season runs today through Jan. 7, 2024.
Playoffs are scheduled for January 13 through Jan. 28, 2004.
Super Bowl LVIII is scheduled for Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas

Simone Biles looks on prior to a game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 29, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Michael Reaves/Getty Images

What happens in Vegas... Toward the end of the 2022-2023 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders benched quarterback Derek Carr before trading him to the New Orleans Saints. Signing former Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo brought hope to Vegas, Jimmy's Super Bowl experience a bonus for long-suffered Raiders fans. This week after the team's 3-5 start, owner Marc Davis fired head coach Josh McDaniels, fired GM Dave Ziegler and benched Garoppolo. Superstar wide receiver Davante Adams had previously expressed his disappointment his production. Now, all eyes are on Vegas and which quarterback and head coach they'll gamble on next.

WAGs in the stands: Pop princess Taylor Swift's very public romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce made being a WAG (wives and girlfriends of athletes) cool again. Not since supermodel Gisele Bündchen first starting dating former husband Tom Brady has an athlete's partner garnered so much attention. But with Olympian Simone Biles in the stands (her husband Jonathan Owens plays for the Green Bay Packers), this season's action has sometimes been as interesting in the stands as it has on the field.

Uh-oh, 49ers: Brock Purdy silenced naysayers last season when he took over after both QBs Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo suffered season-ending injuries. Coach Shanahan traded Lance and gave Purdy the starting job this season with little trepidation that the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft had what it takes. The team remained undefeated until back-to-back losses in Weeks 6 and 7. Deebo, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle have battled injuries all season, but Shanahan is going to need them in the game if he wants to keep Niners fans from pivoting from Team Purdy to another team. The Niners have lost their last three games and face the Cincinnati Bengals this week.