The Buccaneers will travel to Soldier Field to kick off week 5 football tonight. If you previously relied on Reddit NFL streams, you’ll want to read on to see what your best alternatives are.

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It’s been a busy first quarter of football in 2020. Some things, like the coronavirus scares, have taken some getting used to but when the Falcons blow multiple 4th quarter leads, NFL fans have felt right at home.

This week on Thursday Night Football, the Buccaneers will take on the Bears at Soldier Field. A year ago, it would be a game that sparked little to no interest from casual fans.

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However this season, the matchup has plenty of gripping narratives. A rematch of the Brady-Foles showdown from Super Bowl LII, where Foles and the Eagles got the better of Brady’s Patriots.

Now, both players are with different franchises and in largely different situations. Foles only started his first game with the Bears last week in a loss to the Colts after he took the spot from regular starter Mitchell Trubisky.

Both teams are 3-1 on the season, with the Buccs coming off a 3 game winning streak following their week 1 loss in New Orleans.

The game will be broadcasted on Fox and NFL Network. However, if you don’t have cable, you might be concerned about missing the action now that Reddit banned r/nflstreams. Read on to find to why Reddit NFL streams was banned and what the best alternatives are.

Also read: Tennessee Titans Receive 0 Positive COVID-19 Tests, Will Reopen Facility Tomorrow

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Why Was Reddit NFL Streams Banned?

The r/nflstreams subreddit was one of the most valuable resources for NFL fans around the world. Links, which were reliable for the most part, were posted for every single NFL game.

Fans were also spoiled for choice, considering they could watch NFL Redzone and NFL Network. And the best part about all of this was that the streams were completely free. No payment, no account, just a link with a couple of pop-ups here and there.

However, the free ride came to an end when Reddit banned the page. So, why did Reddit ban one of their most popular pages?

The short answer to this question is that the subreddit was technically illegal. If you watch other sports, you probably weren’t too surprised to see Reddit make this decision. Recently, the page for NBA and Soccer streams were also taken down.

The basic problem is that posting free links is a clear case of copyright infringement and leagues were starting to take notice. Interestingly though, Reddit was never forced to ban the subreddit, but rather chose to do so according to their own repeat infringement policy.

The policy reads:

Our policy is to close the accounts of users, in appropriate circumstances, who have repeatedly been charged with copyright infringement. Sometimes a repeat infringement problem is limited to one user and we close just that user’s account. Other times, the problem pervades a whole subreddit community and we close the subreddit.

Also read: How To Watch NFL Games Without Cable: Streaming options for every 2020 NFL game

What is the Best Way to Stream NFL Games For Free Now?

Of course, there are very few truly free ways to watch the NFL for free. One of the best way is with the Yahoo! Sports App. Users can livestream games for free on their phones or tablets.

This includes MNF and TNF games too. However, fans can only watch games which are broadcast in their local TV market. The official NFL app also works in a similar way.

Keep in mind, these are option for streaming local games, and are not available for fans outside of the United States.

Also read: Colin Kaepernick: Will Colin Kaepernick Make An NFL Comeback in 2020?

Other Paid Options with Free Trials

Amazon Prime Video

Starting this week, all Thursday Night Football games can be live-streamed using Amazon prime video. If you already have a prime subscription, you can stream the games at no additional charge.

Hulu

This year, fans can watch NFL games live with Hulu+LiveTV. The normal Hulu package doesn’t include NFL coverage, but users can watch ESPN, NBC, Fox, and CBS for a fee.

Price: $54.99/month

What’s missing?: NFL Redzone and NFL Network

FuboTV

Subscribers will have access to sports channels including ESPN and NFL Network. Additionally, there is an option for a 7 day free trial and for an extra $10.99, you can watch NFL Redzone too.

Price: $64.99

What’s missing?: ABC

YouTube TV

This may be the most comprehensive option for streaming NFL in 2020. With Youtube TV, you can access every channel you need for the NFL (and more). However, you will have to pay an additional $10.99 for Redzone similar to FuboTV.

Both streaming services will be available via mobile apps on Android and IOS. Moreover, fans can watch the games on their TVs  using Roku, Chromecast, Android TV, Apple TV and Fire TV with both Youtube TV and FuboTV.

Price: $64.99

What’s missing?: Technically, nothing. You’ll have to pay an additional fee for Redzone, though.

Other Streaming Services

Fans can also stream games on a number of other platforms including Sling, AT&TV Now, Vidgo, and CBS All Access.

Thursday Night Football will also be available for Amazon Prime users starting from week 4. Not the worst option for casual fans who don’t need a full blown cable replacement.

Finally, DirecTV will offer a non-satellite version of NFL Sunday ticket to people living in apartments or condos. These fans will be able to watch every Sunday afternoon game live.

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