NFL Week 18: Picks, schedule, and how to watch your favorite games

NFL Week 18 schedule

NFL Week 18 runs from Jan. 4–5, 2025. See below for the full Week 18 NFL schedule with kickoff times and TV or streaming networks.*

NFL predictions this week

Although many teams are out of the playoff hunt, several matchups can still shake up the final bracket this weekend. Here are our top three NFL picks for this week — and what we expect to happen. 

Washington Commanders (11-5) at Dallas Cowboys (7-9)

• Sunday, Jan. 5 @ 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
• Watch live on DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and Sling (in select markets)

Our prediction: The first of two Sunday games that will decide wild-card seeding in the NFC, this one features a heavily favored Commanders team fresh off a thrilling overtime win against the Falcons. A victory for Jayden Daniels and the Commanders would clinch the No. 6 seed, avoiding the Eagles in the first round. 

Given Daniels’ play — and Dallas’ woes — this season, that should be a pretty simple task. As Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut notes, “With how well Daniels has played over the last four games – 13-4 TD-INT, 109.8 QB rating and 72.06% completion rate – the Commanders should be able to cruise to a win versus a short-handed Cowboys roster.”

Chicago Bears (4-12) at Green Bay Packers (11-5)

• Sunday, Jan. 5 @ 1:00 p.m. ET on Fox
• Watch live on DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and Sling (in select markets)

Our prediction: The Packers have a shot at the No. 6 seed with a win in this one, and a matchup against the Rams or Bucs would definitely be better than the Eagles. If Washington beats Dallas, though, Green Bay is locked into the No. 7 seed and a date with Philadelphia. 

NFL week 18 odds have the spread in favor of the Packers with at least a 10-point margin. As Johnson notes for Sportstnaut, Green Bay would like to grab a big lead early and rest some of their top players for round one. Here’s thinking they can pull it off.

Either way, Washington and Green Bay fans will be watching both of these two games closely.

Minnesota Vikings (14-2) at Detroit Lions (14-2)

• Sunday, Jan. 5 @ 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock
• Watch live on Peacock, DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and Sling (in select markets)

Our prediction: When it comes to can’t-miss contests, this is the top NFL pick this week. The NFC North  — and the No. 1 seed in the conference — is at stake here, and oddsmakers are calling for a tight spread of less than a field goal. 

That means the winner here gets some well-earned rest with a first-round bye, not to mention home-field advantage through the conference championship. It’ll be close, but our NFL pick for this one is on the Lions, who would love to rest their injured squad.

As NBC Sports analyst Brad Thomas notes, “...the Lions’ ability to beat them through the air gives me cause for concern for the Vikings. They could win the game but would likely have to outscore them because the Lions will be getting theirs.”

How to watch NFL Week 18 games today

NFL games have aired on several major networks and streaming platforms throughout the 2024 season. To watch the NFL this week, you can find contests on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN’s family of networks, and NBC’s over-the-top streaming platform, Peacock. You can also stream any games airing on your local CBS station on Paramount Plus. 

See the table below to find out where to watch the Week 18 NFL schedule on every major streaming platform:

Watch on DIRECTV STREAM

DIRECTV STREAM is one of the easiest ways to watch most NFL games throughout the regular season. Even with its basic Entertainment plan, you’ll have access to all the major broadcast networks showing NFL contests. With DIRECTV STREAM you’ll also get unlimited cloud DVR storage to record any games you have to miss — and unlimited simultaneous streams at home so you can queue up different matches on each device every Sunday.

If you want even more live sports, we recommend the Choice plan. Upgrading to this plan adds a huge selection of sports channels to your package, including regional sports networks (RSNs) like Bally Sports or NBC Sports. In addition to the channels in the Entertainment plan, you’ll also get big names like NFL Network (which starts showing games in Week 5), Fox Sports 1 (FS1), ACCN, Big Ten Network, NBA TV, NFL Network and SEC Network.

Watch on Fubo

There’s no denying that Fubo offers the best overall value for sports fans. Its Pro plan, for example, features more than 30 sports networks, including RSNs. A regional sports fee would apply based on the area served. You’ll find all the major NFL action on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN/ESPN2, plus more games later in the season on NFL Network and lots of college and pro sports on Big Ten Network, ACCN, SEC Network, FS1, beIN SPORTS and more.

All plans also include unlimited Cloud DVR and up to 10 simultaneous streams at home, plus 3 on the go — more than enough for NFL households to keep up with all the action live or later on. There are several add-on options to expand your sports coverage even further. The only big downside is that Fubo leaves out a few major channels like TBS, TNT, BBC and CNN.

Watch on Hulu + Live TV

Hulu + Live TV may actually be the best overall option for NFL fans in 2024. Its lineup of over 95 channels includes ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network, along with full access to ESPN Plus for any games and NFL shows that stream on ESPN’s over-the-top (OTT) platform. That’s not to mention other sports on channels like FS1, ACCN, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, Golf Channel and more. You’ll get access to every game not featured on Peacock or Amazon Prime this season.

But ether’s more: Hulu + Live TV also includes full access to the Hulu and Disney Plus on-demand libraries, both of which feature tons of award-winning entertainment to binge when you’re not watching NFL games. Hulu + Live TV also comes with unlimited cloud DVR storage, though its two-stream limit is a little disappointing. The platform’s only real downside is its lack of RSNs in most markets.

Watch on Sling TV

Sling TV isn’t quite as strong on NFL content as its competitors, but it may work well for viewers in some markets — and it’s easy on the wallet. A Sling Orange plan gets you ESPN and ESPN2, which may be enough if you just want Monday Night Football. If that’s not enough, it gets tricky. Upgrading to Sling Orange & Blue will get you NFL Network, and you may also get ABC, Fox and NBC, depending on your market. Unfortunately, CBS isn’t available on Sling at all, and that leaves out most AFC contests.

All Sling TV plans include 50 hours of cloud DVR, and you can upgrade to 200 hours for $5 per month. There’s also plenty of extra sports coverage available with the Sports Extra add-on. This gets you loads of extra pro and college sports on channels like ACCN, SEC Network, ESPNU, Big Ten Network, NBA TV and NHL Network, depending on which base plan you have. Sling doesn’t offer any RSNs.

Watch on YouTube TV

YouTube TV is another excellent choice for NFL fans — perhaps even one of the best options. The base plan includes ABC, Fox, NBC, ESPN, ESPN2 and NFL Network, so you’re covered for most major games showing in your market. If you want to go further, you can even add NFL Sunday Ticket to your plan for every out-of-market game. YouTube TV subscribers can add Sunday Ticket to their plan with a discounted price.

All plans come with unlimited cloud DVR and up to three simultaneous streams, so you can keep up with plenty of games live or later on. Plus. YouTube TV has an excellent selection of other sports on channels like ESPNEWS, FS1, ACCN, Big Ten Network, NBA TV and SEC Network. Unfortunately, it falls short on RSNs, but its overall lineup is ideal for fans who also want a broad selection of news and entertainment on top of their sports programming.

Watch on ESPN Plus

As ESPN’s OTT streaming platform, ESPN Plus also gets in on the NFL action this season. Select Monday Night Football games, including the Week 1 contest, will stream simultaneously here, so you can watch those here even if you don’t have ESPN or ESPN2.

ESPN Plus also includes a huge selection of NFL analysis programs and football documentaries, making it an excellent choice for fans who want to dig deeper. It’s also home to exclusive Big 12 games, other college football, out-of-market NHL games, MLB contests, UFC Fighting, European soccer and more. You can get it for free with Hulu + Live TV or as a stand-alone subscription.

Watch on Peacock

Just looking for Sunday Night Football? We have exciting news for you. Peacock will stream every Sunday Night Football game concurrently with NBC, so you can watch from anywhere even if you don’t have access to the main channel via streaming, cable or antenna. NBC’s OTT platform will also have exclusive rights to the Week 1 NFL Schedule highlight of Green Bay vs. Philadelphia in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Peacock is home to a plethora of other live sports, including the Olympics and Paralympics, Premier League soccer, Big 10 Football, WWE wrestling, golf and more. And you’ll get tons of top entertainment from new and classic NBC Universal shows like “Bel Air,” “Modern Family” and “The Office.”

Watch on Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus is a great way to watch CBS’ featured NFL games during the 2024 season. Even the basic Essential plan, any games on your local CBS station will also stream on Paramount Plus, offering an easy way to watch on the go (or catch multiple games at once). 

This over-the-top streamer is worth a closer look for sports fans in general, too. Besides NFL games, you can stream UEFA Champions League and NWSL soccer, PGA Tour golf, Big 10 football and more. Plans start at $8 per month.

FAQ

How long is the current NFL season?

The 2024 NFL regular season schedule lasts from Sept. 5, 2024, through Jan. 5, 2025, for a total run of 18 weeks (and 17 games per team). The playoffs run from Jan. 8 through Super Bowl Sunday — Feb. 9, 2025.

Who is airing Sunday Night Football?

NBC has exclusive rights to Sunday Night Football for the 2024 season. That means the big Sunday night match will air on NBC and stream on Peacock.

What is the first football game of 2024?

The 2024 NFL regular season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 5, with a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship game featuring the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs.