Chargers vs Broncos Livestream: How to Watch NFL Week 18 Online Today

The Chargers have already won their ticket to the playoffs. They can’t catch the AFC West Chiefs, but have earned a Wild Card spot. The 10-6 Chargers will enter the playoffs as the fifth or sixth seed in the AFC, depending on the result of their last road game of the season against the Broncos 4-12 and the Ravens 10-6 on the road against the Bengals. Kickoff in Denver is scheduled for 1:25 p.m. PT (4:25 p.m. ET) on CBS.

The game will air on television in the Los Angeles and Denver areas (according to 506 Sports) on live tv broadcast services, but there may be times when you are blocked due to an internet location issue or just want an extra layer of privacy for streaming. There is an option that won’t require you to subscribe to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFLMoreor search the Internet for a basic website: a virtual private network, or vpn.

Here’s how you can watch the game from anywhere in the US with a VPN.

Read more: NFL 2022: How to live stream every game without cable

Chargers game against Broncos today: when and where?

For Week 18 of the NFL season, the Broncos host the Chargers at 1:25 p.m. PT (4:25 p.m. ET) on CBS. The game is scheduled to take place at Empower Field in Mile High, home of the Denver Broncos.

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How to watch the Chargers vs Broncos game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you are unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly enforced blackout restrictions, you may need another way to watch the game and this is where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to prevent your ISP from throttling your game day speeds by encrypting your traffic. Plus, it’s a great idea when you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and connections.

With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet, or laptop to access the game. So if your ISP or mobile carrier has blocked you with an IP address that says incorrectly your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can fix this problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, unobstructed zone. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPNmake it really easy to do.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in all countries where VPNs are legal, including the United States and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You need to make sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even when VPNs are legal, the streaming service can terminate the account of anyone it believes is circumventing properly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN offers is taking place at the moment.

Sarah Tew/CNET

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN for people who want a reliable and secure VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 a month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% and get three months of free access – the equivalent of $6.67 a month – if you get an annual subscription.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream the Chargers vs. Broncos game live in the US

This week’s Chargers-Broncos game is on CBS, so in addition to a VPN, you’ll need a live tv streaming service which carries a local CBS affiliate that airs the game. The cheapest service is Paramount Plus. You’ll need to be on Paramount Plus Essential or Premium plans to watch the game (or an old “limited ads” plan).

Paramount Plus has two main options: Essential for $5 per month ($50 per year if paid annually) and Premium for $10 per month ($100 per year if paid annually). Both offer live NFL games, though the cheaper Essential option lacks live CBS streams, ad-free content for on-demand streaming, or the ability to download shows to watch offline later.

Since either option works for NFL games, if all you want is football, the cheaper Essential option would be the way to go.

Read our Paramount Plus review.

Many others live tv streaming services also broadcast local CBS stations, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. They all cost more than Paramount Plus, but they also offer more channels, including football-specific channels like Fox, ESPN, NFL Network, and/or RedZone. Discover our guide to live tv streaming channels for more details.

Quick Tips to Stream Chargers vs Broncos Game Using a VPN

• With four variables in play – your ISP, browser, video streaming provider, and VPN – experience and success can vary.
• We tested the game successfully using an ExpressVPN server in Los Angeles, so that’s a place you can choose to watch the game.
• If you don’t see your desired location as the default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for a city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after turning on your VPN and setting it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure that the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address registered in your account. Second, some smart TVs – like Roku – don’t have VPN apps that you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll need to install the VPN on your router or whatever mobile hotspot you use (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
• All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with Smart TV services, after installing a cable network’s sports app, you will be asked to verify a numeric code or click on a link sent to your registered email address for your Smart TV . This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, as both devices will appear in the correct place.
• And remember, browsers can often give away location despite using a VPN, so make sure you’re using a privacy-focused browser to connect to your services. We normally recommend Brave.

How We Test VPN Streaming for NFL Sunday Games

For each game, we use a combination of ExpressVPN and Paramount Plus (for CBS games) or Sling TV Blue (for Fox games). Using the maps on 506 Sports, we determine which servers are nearby and connect to one, then launch the streaming service and tune into the local CBS or Fox affiliate. If the channel passes, it is successful and we report the results above. We also capture the list of relevant program guides (see above) from the local CBS affiliate website or Sling TV.