How and where to watch today's Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers game: Starting time, livestream options
A busy day of Sunday NFL action wraps up tonight on Sunday Night Football when the 3-1 Dallas Cowboys face off against the undefeated San Francisco 49ers.
Though San Francisco is a slight 3.5-point favorite (per CBS Sports), the Cowboys' Micah Parsons is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL: He's allowed an average just 10.3 points per game. The 49ers' Nick Bosa, meanwhile, is no slouch -- has only allowed an average of 14.3 points per game, third in the league.
Which team will come out on top tonight? You've got to watch the game to find out. Here's how to do just that.
How to watch the Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers game
The Sunday night matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers will be played Sunday, Oct. 8. Kickoff is at 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 p.m.). The game will air on NBC and Telemundo, and livestream on the services listed. 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 Cowboys vs. 49ers 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.
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.
Upgrade to Sling TV's Sports Extra package
Sling TV has a new offering for the 2023 NFL Season called Sports Extra. This souped-up package is designed for NFL and college football super-fans, with access to NFL Redzone, ESPN, NFL, SEC, ACC, PAC 12, Big10 and Longhorn Networks.
There's a great preseason deal on Sling TV Sports Extra going on right now: You can get four months of Sling TV Orange + Blue + Sports Extra for $219. It's the most cost effective way to stream most NFL games this year.
You can learn more about Sling TV and Sports Extra by tapping the button below.
Watch the Cowboys vs. 49ers game 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.
Watch the Cowboys vs. 49ers 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+. It's normally priced at $70 per month, but there's currently a promotion where you can get three months for just $50 per month.
Watch local 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."
Watch the Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers 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.
2023 NFL Season Week 5 Schedule
The 2023 NFL Season Week 5 schedule is below. All times listed ET. (*) indicates that network's coverage is not available in all markets.
Thursday, Oct. 5
- Chicago Bears vs. Washington Commanders, 8:15 p.m. (Fox*/Prime Video)
Sunday, Oct. 8
- Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills live from London, 9:30 a.m. (NFL Network)
- New Orleans Saints vs. New England Patriots, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
- Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m. (CBS)
- Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 1:00 p.m. (CBS, ABC*)
- Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit Lions, 1:00 p.m. (Fox*, You Tube TV/NFL Sunday Ticket)
- Houston Texans vs. Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 p.m. (Fox*, You Tube TV/NFL Sunday Ticket)
- NY Giants vs. Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. (Fox)
- Cincinnati Bengals vs. Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. (Fox*, You Tube TV/ NFL Sunday Ticket)
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m. (Fox)
- NY Jets vs. Denver Broncos, 4:25 p.m. (CBS)
- Kansas City Chiefs vs. Minnesota Vikings, 4:25 p.m. (CBS, ABC*)
- Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. (NBC)
Monday, Oct. 9
- Green Bay Packers vs. Las Vegas Raiders, 8:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN)
Storylines we're following in the 2023 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
Is this finally Dak Prescott's time to shine? The Dallas Cowboys are off to a splashy 2023 season start, 3-1 coming into Week 5. QB Dak Prescott is pick-free, a huge improvement over last season. Prescott tied the league for the most interceptions and never played back-to-back games without a pick. Four games in, the Cowboys are primed to re-earn the title "America's Team". and Dak is making good on his promise to throw less interceptions than last season.
Taylor Swift is the only thing bigger than the NFL: While Swifties were quick to 'ship Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after the Eras Tour star showed up at Arrowhead Stadium during the Kansas City Chiefs Week 3 game against the Chicago Bears, Tay Tay herself seems all-in on her budding romance with the Chiefs superstar tight end. The Taylor-effect on the NFL has been massive, from Kelce gaining over half-a-million new Instagram followers in a day, to the NFL finding an entirely new fan base in Taylor-loving younger women -- a coveted audience for the league. The NFL has fully embraced the league's newest ambassador, friendship bracelets and all.
That 49ers defense is dangerous: 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. Shanahan's decision has paid off two weeks in, the team is undefeated and Purdy shows full command of the team. But the 49ers Nick Bosa-led defense is what could take this team to the Super Bowl. The Niners came into Week 4 one of three undefeated teams remaining and just may be a problem for the otherwise unstoppable Cowboys offense.
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