How to watch Buccaneers vs Lions NFL playoff game on NBC

Detroit Lions' CJ Gardner-Johnson
Detroit Lions' CJ Gardner-Johnson (Image credit: Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

NBC is the home for Sunday Night Football, but as we are now in the midst of the NFL playoffs, the network is broadcasting a Divisional round games on Sunday, January 21, featuring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs the Detroit Lions at 3 pm ET/noon PT.

Here is everything that you need to know on how to watch NBC's broadcast of the Buccaneers vs Lions playoff game.

How to watch Sunday Night Football

NBC is widely available to viewers across the US via their local NBC stations. If you subscribe to traditional cable, catching the game is simple, as NBC is included on all basic cable packages. You can also watch the games on the NBC Sports app or at NBCSports.com when you provide your TV provider login.

NBC is also available on live TV streaming services like Fubo TV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV. Each of these offers a mix of channel packages and services. We think Sling TV offers the best value for Sunday Night Football fans. You can watch Sunday Night Football on Sling TV Blue, which goes for $35 per month.

Streaming of the game is available through Peacock, which live-streams NBC's Sunday Night Football game every week (or in this case the network's playoff broadcasts). You'll need a Peacock Premium account to stream Sunday Night Football — either the ad-supported or ad-free version.

As a nationally televised game, Sunday Night Football is also going to be available to live stream on NFL Plus, but only through a mobile device.

NFL fans in the UK have the opportunity to watch Sunday Night Football games and other NBC NFL broadcasts via Sky Sports' NFL Channel, which is available through a Sky TV subscription.

If that's too late (or early) for you, NFL Game Pass is an option. The international version of this subscription service offers live broadcasts of games as well as the opportunity to watch the full broadcast on-demand or a condensed version of the broadcast that only features the plays. 

If NFL fans find themselves halfway around the world but eager to tune in to Sunday Night Football on their usual service, they can consider using a VPN. 

We rate ExpressVPN as a reliable VPN service for securing your data and accessing shows and events all around the world. Even better, ExpressVPN offers a 30-day no-quibble, money-back guarantee if you're not happy with the service.  

NFL Divisional round game: Buccaneers vs Lions

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield (Image credit: Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Detroit hopes to make the wait between playoff victories shorter than the previous 30 year gap, while Tampa Bay is out to play spoiler for another team and prove they are more dangerous than their 9-8 record appears.

Though they had the worst record among division winners in the playoffs, the Buccaneers took care of business against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round, with another solid game from quarterback Baker Mayfield. The surprise was that Mayfield was able to rely on his secondary receivers rather than the dynamic duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. If that kind of production continues, while Evans, Godwin and running back Rachad White get more involved, the Bucs could be dangerous on the offensive side of the ball. The Bucs defense, meanwhile, will likely blitz the Lions to hope to cause their capable offense to sputter a bit.

But that is easier said than done, as the Lions offense has also played well for most the season. Quarterback Jared Goff has been having a career resurgence, Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to prove he is among the league's best receivers, while rookies Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs have been major contributors in their first year. The Lions have a star on the defensive side of the ball though too, as pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson looks to continue his strong play against a beatable Bucs offensive line. That will require some help from the secondary though, led by safety CJ Gardner-Johnson.

Sunday Night Football schedule

Here is the schedule for Sunday Night Football's 2023 slate of games. Unless otherwise noted, all games start at 8:20 pm ET/5:20 pm PT. 

  • Week 1: Dallas Cowboys 40, New York Giants 0
  • Week 2: Miami Dolphins 24, New England Patriots 17
  • Week 3: Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Las Vegas Raiders 18
  • Week 4: Kansas City Chiefs 23, New York Jets 20
  • Week 5: Dallas Cowboys 10, San Francisco 49ers 42
  • Week 6: New York Giants 9, Buffalo Bills 14
  • Week 7: Miami Dolphins 17, Philadelphia Eagles 31
  • Week 8: Chicago Bears 13, Los Angeles Chargers 30
  • Week 9: Buffalo Bills 18, Cincinnati Bengals 24
  • Week 10: New York Jets 12, Las Vegas Raiders 16
  • Week 11: Minnesota Vikings 20, Denver Broncos 21
  • Week 12: Baltimore Ravens 20, Los Angeles Chargers 10
  • Week 13: Kansas City Chiefs 19, Green Bay Packers 27
  • Week 14: Philadelphia Eagles 13, Dallas Cowboys 33
  • Week 15: Baltimore Ravens 23, Jacksonville Jaguars 7
  • Week 16: Cincinnati Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Week 17: Green Bay Packers 33, Minnesota Vikings 10
  • Week 18: Miami Dolphins 14, Buffalo Bills 21
  • Wild Card: Cleveland Browns 14, Houston Texans 45
  • Wild Card: Los Angeles Rams 23, Detroit Lions 24
  • Divisional: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit Lions, 3 pm ET/noon PT

Some of these games could be fluid, as the NFL allows flex scheduling for Sunday Night Football to try and ensue good games are airing in primetime. Between weeks 5-10, up to two games can be flexed, while from weeks 11-17 it can be done for any game at the NFL's discretion.

Sunday Night Football commentators

The lead voice in the Sunday Night Football booth is Mike Tirico, joined by Cris Collinsworth in the booth. Melissa Stark rounds out the crew as the sideline reporter.

NBC's Sunday Night Football coverage also consists of the Football Night in America pregame show, which features Maria Taylor as host and Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, Jason Garrett, Chris Simms and Mike Florio as commentators.

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Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.