If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.
There is one spot still up for grabs in next week’s AFC Championship Game and it will be decided on Sunday, Jan. 18 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. where the New England Patriots are hosting the Houston Texans.
This NFL game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Fans looking to watch can do so for free by using DIRECTV, which offers a free trial, or FuboTV, which also offers a free trial as well as up to $30 off your first month. Paramount+ also offers a free trial and gives fans the option to watch games broadcast on CBS. SlingTV doesn’t offer a free trial but has promotional offers available for streaming the game, and NFL+ airs all local market games, and NFL+ Premium allows fans to watch condensed game replays and all-22 coaches film. You can stream ESPN Unlimited on your phone, tablet, smart TV or gaming console, and bundle your plan with NFL+ Premium or with NFL+ Premium, Disney+ and Hulu. Additionally, those with DIRECTV, FuboTV or Hulu + Live TV can access ESPN Unlimited through their package.
Streaming ServiceStarting Monthly PriceFree TrialFree Trial LengthMax DiscountDIRECTV$89.99Yes5 days$40 off first monthFuboTV$55.99Yes5 days$30 off first monthSling TV$45.99NoN/A$30 off first monthESPN$12.99NoN/AN/ANFL+$6.99NoN/AN/A
Both squads earned wins thanks to strong defensive efforts last week, with the Patriots taking down the Los Angeles Chargers, 16-3, and the Texans knocking off the AFC North champion Pittsburgh Steelers, 30-6, with two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
New England didn’t get the strongest outing from second-year quarterback Drake Maye in his first career playoff start, but he did toss a touchdown to Hunter Henry and lead the team in rushing with 66 yards on the ground while also tossing for 268 and an interception and losing one of his two fumbles. But the defense got six sacks and a fumble recovery of its own while limiting the competition to 207 total yards on 3.5 yards per play.
Houston saw that performance on Sunday night and raised the stakes on Monday night, holding the Steelers to 175 total yards and 3.1 yards per play along with forcing them to go two-for-14 on third downs and turn it over twice in the final frame in plays that ended with defensive scores. That impact was massive as quarterback C.J. Stroud had an interception and lost two of his five fumbles. But he also tossed a score to Christian Kirk, who had eight grabs for 144 yards, and Woody Marks rushed for 112 yards and a score.
The winner of this game will travel to Denver next week to take on a Broncos squad that just lost starting quarterback Bo Nix for the season due to an ankle injury.
Who: Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots
When: Sunday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m. EST
Where: Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Stream: DIRECTV (free trial); FuboTV (free trial); SlingTV; ESPN; NFL+
Betting: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.