Technologies

NFL Week 18: How to Watch Lions vs. Packers, RedZone and More Without Cable

The last week of the regular season ends with a pivotal Lions and Packers NFC North matchup on Sunday Night Football.

The NFL’s final regular season Sunday has arrived. The Chiefs locked up the AFC’s top seed in Saturday night’s early game, while the Jaguars punched their playoff ticket in Saturday’s second contest. On Sunday, there are still a few notable and important games as the regular season comes to a close.

Perhaps the most notable game on the slate will be Sunday Night Football as the Lions head to Green Bay to take on the Packers. A Green Bay win would put the Packers in the postseason as they would have the tie-breaker over the Seahawks even if Seattle wins this afternoon. A Seahawks loss opens the door for the Lions to take the final NFC playoff spot with a win tonight.

Sunday Night Football kicks off at 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 p.m. PT) on NBC.

Here’s how you can watch all the action this Sunday, including RedZone, as well as the upcoming playoffs without cable.

What are my streaming options for NFL games?

Paying for cable is the easiest solution, but not the cheapest. For cord-cutters looking to save some money, NFL football streaming options can get complicated, with games played across three different days and nights each week on different channels and streaming services. For the final weekend, games will be shown on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and ESPN Plus. The majority of the action takes place on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) and 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT), with most AFC teams on CBS and most NFC teams on Fox.

All five of the live TV streaming services carry ESPN and Fox, and all but Sling TV carry CBS. All but DirecTV Stream carry the NFL Network. For the games on CBS and Fox, keep in mind that not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries CBS and Fox in your area.

There are three other streaming services that cord-cutting NFL fans should consider. The paid Premium plan of Paramount Plus will show CBS games on Sundays, and the paid Premium plan of Peacock will show NBC’s broadcasts of Sunday Night Football. And ESPN Plus will show both games on the final Saturday of the season.

Wait, there’s one more streaming service to consider for the remainder of the year. Prior to the season, the NFL launched a new streaming service for watching games on your phone or tablet — no casting to your TV. In past years, you could do this for free with the Yahoo Sports app, but now you’ll need to pay $5 a month or $40 for the season for the NFL Plus subscription. With it, you’ll be able to watch every local game on Sunday and the national games on Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights as well as the playoffs and Super Bowl — again, only on your phone or tablet.

Lastly, there’s NFL RedZone, a channel that springs to life each fall and shows live NFL action during the Sunday afternoon games. It pops in and out of the live games and attempts to show each touchdown scored in each game. RedZone is available as an add-on on four of the five major live TV streaming services — all but DirecTV Stream.

Best for everything: YouTube TV ($65)

Our pick from the last two years remains our go-to choice in 2022.

At $65 per month each, YouTube TV checks all the NFL boxes. Local channels CBS, NBC and Fox are included in many markets, and ESPN and the NFL Network are also included so you can watch Sundays and Monday nights. The next best options are FuboTV and Hulu Plus Live TV; both offer the same channels as YouTube TV for NFL fans, but for $70 a month.

Want to follow your fantasy team with RedZone? That’s available on all three services as part of an add-on. If you’re a YouTube TV subscriber, you can add the $11 per month Sports Plus add-on by clicking on your profile and going to Settings, then the Membership tab. FuboTV subscribers can go into My Profile and choose Manage Add-ons to get its $11-per-month Sports Plus with NFL RedZone offering. And Hulu users can now add RedZone for $10 per month with its Sports add-on.

Both YouTube TV and FuboTV allow three people to watch at once (Hulu allows two live streams) and all three have apps on nearly every mobile device and major streaming platform, including Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Roku and Apple TV.

While all three are largely similar, we like YouTube TV for its superior DVR — unlimited storage compared with 30 hours on FuboTV and 50 hours on Hulu. We also like YouTube TV because it gives you an option to stream in 4K for an extra $20 a month. FuboTV does, too, with its $80-a-month Elite plan. Keep in mind that only Fox and NBC offer 4K NFL broadcasts; CBS and ESPN do not.

See at YouTube TV

DirecTV Stream offers the main broadcast channels for NFL games, but it starts at $70 per month and lacks the NFL Network and RedZone.

Sling TV’s Orange and Blue plan for $55 a month gets you ESPN and the NFL Network, and, in select major markets, Fox and/or NBC, but you’ll still lack CBS. You can also add RedZone for $11 per month with the Sports Extra add-on.

The cheapest way to stream NFL RedZone

A frequent fan-favorite method of following all the NFL action on Sundays, RedZone is a way to catch every big play around the league. The cheapest road to RedZone is to get Sling TV Blue for $40 per month and add the $11 per month Sports Extra add-on.

This option can also be streamed on a host of devices including iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and web browsers.

See at Sling TV

Note: If you only subscribe to Sling’s Orange package you won’t be able to get RedZone in Sports Extra. Your base package needs to be either Sling Blue or its larger Sling Blue Plus Orange bundle for you to be able to get RedZone as an add-on. If you choose the latter, the Sports Extra add-on is more, $15 per month, as you will also get additional channels like the SEC Network, ACC Network and PAC 12 Network.

If you mainly plan to watch on a phone, you can also check out RedZone Mobile, which is in the NFL app. This is a separate subscription from NFL Plus and runs $35 for the season (which breaks down to around $7.78 per month for the roughly four-and-a-half months of regular season football). While this is one of the cheapest ways to get RedZone, be aware that — similar to NFL Plus — you will not be able to AirPlay or Chromecast it onto a larger screen and will need to watch on your phone.

Budget alternative for NFC fans in big cities: Sling Blue ($40) or antenna ($20 one-time)

Those looking to save some cash might want to check out Sling Blue for $40 a month. While it lacks ESPN, meaning you’ll miss out on Monday Night Football, in select markets you’ll be able to get Fox and NBC. The catch is that those markets are mainly in big cities, so if you live outside one of those areas, Sling Blue might not be for you.

You can also add RedZone through the company’s $11 per month Sports Extra add-on.

Fox broadcasts most NFC games on Sundays, while NBC has Sunday Night Football. CBS, which broadcasts the bulk of AFC games, isn’t included on Sling at all. But an antenna can fill those local channel gaps without a monthly charge.

Budget alternatives for AFC fans: Paramount Plus (or an antenna)

There are some apps that offer CBS’ slate of Sunday AFC games live, including Paramount Plus’ Premium tier for $10 per month. Depending on where you live, however, your local CBS station (and those NFL games) might not be available. CBS offers livestreaming services in many markets; you can check for yourself if your area has live CBS streaming here.

An antenna is another option for getting CBS. And as we mentioned above, an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV provides another option, no streaming or monthly fee required, as long as you have good reception.

What about Sunday Ticket?

For one more season, NFL Sunday Ticket is still largely limited to DirecTV satellite subscribers. While that is expected to change in 2023, those who live in buildings that can’t add a satellite dish can already get a streaming version to watch football starting at $294 for its To Go package for the season, or $396 for a Max package that includes the RedZone channel (a student version is also available at a discount). You can check your address on the Sunday Ticket site. Both packages have a one-week free trial.

With the season well past the halfway point, those prices have dropped to $220.47 for the To Go option and $281.97 for Max.

The problem here, however, is that even if you’re eligible, it doesn’t include local games. You can only watch Sunday games that aren’t being broadcast on CBS, Fox or NBC in your area. They also won’t be helpful come playoff time — as you’ll need your local stations and ESPN to catch all those games.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, May 21

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for May 21.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is a bit of a tough one. 6-Across and 2-Down want you to come up with words that match up with another word that starts with the same two letters. 2-Down was easy, but 6-Across stumped me until my other answers filled it in. (Hint: It’s not green grass…) Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Either role played by Michael B. Jordan in 2025’s «Sinners»
Answer: TWIN

5A clue: «Wow, wow, wow!»
Answer: OHMY

6A clue: Gr-» word that follows «green»
Answer: GRAPE

7A clue: Bit of land in the ocean
Answer: ISLE

8A clue: Père ___, name for Santa Claus in France
Answer: NOEL

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Trunk of the body
Answer: TORSO

2D clue: «Wh-» word that follows «white»
Answer: WHALE

3D clue: Urge forward
Answer: IMPEL

4D clue: Bill ___ the Science Guy
Answer: NYE

6D clue: Alcohol paired with tonic
Answer: GIN

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

I Took Google’s New Try On Feature for a Spin — It Was Fascinating (and Hilarious)

Commentary: I used AI to see how different outfits would look on me, and the results were revealing.

Online shopping often feels like a shot in the dark. It’s hard to predict how an outfit a model is wearing will fit me. But at Google I/O on Tuesday, I demoed a new feature called Try On that uses AI to show you how a dress, shirt, skirt or pants will actually look on you. I was surprised, and also incredibly amused.

After posing for a quick photo, a Google employee showed me different clothing options in the Shopping tab. I settled on a cute long-sleeved denim jumpsuit, tapped it and uploaded my photo. After about 30 seconds, my real-life floral jumpsuit was replaced by the denim one. The generated image looked impressively real: the sleeves were perfectly tailored, the collar was popped and my pink headscarf (which I was wearing in real life and Gemini thankfully kept on) was neatly tucked in.

«It actually looks like I’m wearing it,» I said in amazement. «I’m quite impressed.» It even added a purse in my right hand, which was a funny touch.

Try On is powered by Google’s custom image generation model, which can demonstrate how materials drape, fold and stretch on different body types. It’s available now in Search Labs, which lets people try out Google Search features before they roll out to the masses.

After opting into the feature, you’ll see an icon that says «try it on» when browsing for clothes in Google. Upload a full-length photo of yourself (ideally with good lighting and fitted clothing), and watch in wonder as that dress or shirt miraculously appears on you. You can also save the generated image and share it with friends.

Of course, I had to have some fun with Try On. As someone who wears hijab, I only wear long sleeves and long pants when I’m out and about. So I decided to test the feature and see what it would do if I picked a pink sleeveless dress. The result was hilarious.

It did in fact expose my arms (or what it thinks they look like), and also added some random bracelets and a watch that I was definitely not wearing in real life. Thankfully, it kept my headscarf on (which perfectly matched the pink dress), but that only made for a more hilarious juxtaposition with my exposed AI skin. Well, at least it maintained the dress’s accuracy.

If you’re worried about privacy concerns, my colleague Katelyn Chedraoui reached out to Google to ask about Try On’s privacy policies. In response, a Google spokesperson said: «Your uploaded photo is never used beyond trying things on virtually, nor is your photo used for training purposes. It is not shared with other Google products, services or third parties, and you can delete or replace it at any time.»

So, if you’re keen to see how that outfit you would totally wear — or totally wouldn’t — looks on you, look no further than your phone; no fitting room required. Personally, I look forward to trying on more outfits, both appealing and ridiculous, just for the heck of it.

Technologies

McDonald’s Snack Wrap: Is the Viral Food Favorite Returning on July 14?

July 14 could be the release date for the much-longed-for chicken Snack Wraps, but Ronald and crew aren’t talking.

McDonald’s is riding a viral wave. The fast-food chain’s Minecraft Happy Meals and adult Minecraft Meals hit restaurants on April 1 and sold out quickly. Diners ordering a Happy Meal these days will find a Squishmallow theme meal instead. But there’s more viral buzz about another McDonald’s product online. People are eagerly awaiting the return of Snack Wraps, a chicken-tortilla entree that’s been missing from US locations of the Golden Arches since 2020.

Read more: Review: McDonald’s Minecraft Meals Feature The Hottest Nugget Sauce Ever

On April 15, McDonald’s tweeted «snack wraps 0x.14.2025,» hinting the wraps would return on the 14th of an upcoming month. This leaves fans having to check their McDonald’s mobile app or local restaurant menus on the 14th of every month, hoping the wraps will make an appearance. The wraps didn’t appear in restaurants on May 14, so now fans must check again in June, and again in July if the June date does not pan out.

At least one Reddit users seems to think the McDonald’s Snack Wraps could return on July 14. One user wrote, «It’s July, I work for McDonald’s,they revealed the date on the employee app.»

But another person posted, «It’s not July. I work at McDonald’s corporate and can confirm.»

Neither of those posts can be confirmed.

June 14 is a Saturday, while July 14 is a Monday. Some suggest that McDonald’s would be more likely to launch a new product on a Monday than on a weekend, so if that’s true, July 14 could be the day.

A representative for McDonald’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

snack wraps 0x.14.2025

— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) April 15, 2025

Snack Wrap fever

Snack Wraps first came out in 2006, and were meant to be a chicken item that would appeal to drive-thru customers. There are different versions, but the basic one includes white-meat chicken strips known as McCrispy Strips wrapped in a flour tortilla with cheese and lettuce with either ranch, honey mustard or salsa. McCrispy Strips are a reworked version of a chicken item formerly known as Chicken Selects.

Zach Ciampa, who regularly covers new food releases under the social-media handle Snach With Zach, said there’s been an intense fanbase out there for the wraps. «Regarding McDonald’s Snack Wrap, it’s by far the most requested item I’ve ever seen my audience ask or demand to come back,» he told CNET. «Not just the most requested in recent memory, but the most requested of all time. And that’s not limited to McDonald’s.» Ciampa said the only similar fast-food items that come close to the same level of interest are Dairy Queen’s S’mores Blizzard and Taco Bell’s Caramel Apple Empanada, both of which also made recent returns.

«I’ve been covering food releases for years, and in that time, I’ve seen countless comments to the tune of ‘We don’t want this. We want the Snack Wrap,’ and, ‘Can you tell us when the Snack Wrap is coming back?'» he said. «A couple years ago, the chances of its return were pretty bleak. However, things escalated pretty quickly in late 2023 when McDonald’s did indeed announce that the Snack Wrap would return in a new form. Since then, details have slowly but surely trickled out, and the hype has steadily grown.»

While Snack Wraps left McDonald’s locations in the US back in 2020, they remained available at Canadian and UK restaurants. The current online McDonald’s Canada menu includes several tortilla-wrapped items, including ones with crispy chicken, grilled chicken, buffalo chicken and chicken with a sweet chili sauce.