As we near the midpoint of the 2021 NFL season, the NFL games today will begin to have a more significant impact on the playoff picture. Which teams will be in the first and second wave of games on Sunday, and how does the Week 8 TV schedule look with 12 NFL games today?
NFL Games Today TV Schedule | Week 8
Where can you watch or live stream the first eight NFL games today?
Carolina Panthers (3-4) at Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
- Channel: FOX
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Sling
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Miami Dolphins (1-6) at Buffalo Bills (4-2)
- Channel: CBS
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Paramount Plus
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
San Francisco 49ers (2-4) at Chicago Bears (3-4)
- Channel: FOX
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Sling
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3) at Cleveland Browns (4-3)
- Channel: CBS
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Paramount Plus
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Philadelphia Eagles (2-5) at Detroit Lions (0-7)
- Channel: FOX
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Sling
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Los Angeles Rams (6-1) at Houston Texans (1-6)
- Channel: FOX
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Sling
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Tennessee Titans (5-2) at Indianapolis Colts (3-4)
- Channel: CBS
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Paramount Plus
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) at New York Jets (1-5)
- Channel: CBS
- Start time: 1 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Paramount Plus
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
NFL Games Today Week 8 TV Schedule | Late afternoon
Where can you watch the four NFL games in the late-afternoon window today?
New England Patriots (3-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
- Channel: CBS
- Start time: 4:05 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Paramount Plus
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) at Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
- Channel: CBS
- Start time: 4:05 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Paramount Plus
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Washington Football Team (2-5) at Denver Broncos (3-4)
- Channel: FOX
- Start time: 4:25 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Sling
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1) at New Orleans Saints (4-2)
- Channel: FOX
- Start time: 4:25 PM ET
- Live stream:
- Sling
- Hulu + Live TV
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket
- NFL Mobile App
Top storylines to watch in the NFL Games Today
Two games stand out from the early slate as the Tennessee Titans face the Colts in the AFC South, while the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns face off in the AFC North. The Titans have already beaten the Colts in Week 3 this season. If they do it again then they will have a big advantage atop the AFC South. The Colts simply cannot afford to lose this game or any serious hope they had of winning the division will be gone.
The situation in the Steelers and Browns game is a little different. These two teams currently sit at the bottom of the AFC North and neither can really afford to lose. With the Bengals expected to beat the Jets, whichever team loses will potentially be at least two games out of first place and rooted to the bottom of the division.
In the afternoon slate, there are another two big games. The matchup between the Patriots and the Chargers in Los Angeles could give us an indication of where both teams sit in the AFC hierarchy. The game is more of a must-win situation for the Patriots, but in a competitive AFC West, the Chargers cannot afford to lose either.
In the NFC South showdown between the Saints and Buccaneers, the result is imperative for the Saints. The Buccaneers are not expected to lose more than a handful of games this year. If the Saints want to host any home playoff games this year, they likely need to beat the Buccaneers in both of their matchups.