The Detroit Lions have been one of the success stories of the 2023 NFL season. After a shootout victory against the Chargers last Sunday, Detroit is now 7-2 so far this year and atop the NFC North.
This week they will face the rival Bears, who are 3-7 and coming off a long layoff after beating the Panthers on Thursday Night Football on November 9.
The kick-off is called 1 pm ET (10 am PT) on Fox. We’ll show you how you can watch it, even if the game isn’t available on your local Fox channel.
The game will be broadcast on television in the Detroit and Chicago areas (according to 506 Sports) in live television broadcast services, but there may be cases where you are blocked due to an internet location issue or simply want an extra layer of privacy for transmission.
There is an option that does not require a subscription to something like NFL Sunday Ticket either NFL Plusor search the Internet for an incomplete website: you can use 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 2023: How to watch and stream games and RedZone with or without cable
Justin Fields is expected to start for the Chicago Bears on Sunday after missing the previous four games with a thumb injury.
Bears vs. Lions: When and where?
In Week 11 of the NFL season, the Lions host the Bears at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Sunday. The game will take place at Ford Field in downtown Detroit, home of the Lions.
How to watch the Bears vs. Lions online from anywhere using a VPN
If you can’t watch the game locally due to blocking restrictions applied incorrectly, you may need a different way to watch the game and that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to prevent your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, plus it’s a great idea when you’re traveling and connected to Wi-Fi and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet, or laptop to access the game. So if your Internet provider or mobile operator has assigned you an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a restricted area, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, unrestricted area. Most VPNs, like ours Editor’s Choice, ExpressVPNmake it really easy to do this.
Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You need to make sure your VPN is configured correctly to prevent leaks: Even when VPNs are legal, the streaming service can terminate the account of anyone it believes is circumventing properly applied blocking restrictions.
Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other fantastic VPN Offers taking place right now.
Live stream the Bears vs. Lions in the US
This week’s Bears-Lions game is on Fox, so in addition to a VPN set up for an area where the game is being played (see tips below), you’ll need one live TV streaming service which broadcasts a local Fox affiliate that broadcasts the game. The cheapest service is Sling TV Blue.
Sling TV’s Blue plan includes NBC, Fox, and NFL Network, though it doesn’t have CBS, ABC, or ESPN. Enter your address here to see what local channels are available where you live. NFL RedZone is also available for an additional $11 per month.
Note that to get ABC and ESPN, you’ll need to upgrade to the similarly priced Orange plan (which includes Fox, NBC, and NFL Network) or opt for the $60-a-month Orange and Blue combo package that includes channels from both packages. With the bundled plan, the Sports Extra add-on, which RedZone has, costs an additional $15 per month.
An important caveat: In our experience, local Fox affiliates will only be available if your billing address is in one of the 18 metro areas covered by Sling deal. If you are outside of one of these areas, it is probably best to opt for one of the alternative services listed below.
Many other live TV streaming services also carry local Fox stations, namely YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream, and Fubo. They all cost more than Sling TV, but they also carry more channels, including football streaming channels like ESPN. Take a look at our guide to live tv streaming services for details.
If you live in an area where the game is broadcast, a wireless antenna connected to your TV offers another option for Fox. The best part about antennas is that there are no broadcasts or monthly fees required, although you’ll need to make sure have good reception.
Quick Tips for Streaming Bears vs. Lions using a VPN
- With four variables at play (your ISP, browser, video streaming provider, and VPN), your experience and success may vary.
- Sling Blue is only an option as long as the ability to get local Fox affiliates is active on your account. You may want to verify that your billing address is eligible for that option before committing your credit card.
- If you don’t see your desired location as the default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
- If you’re having trouble accessing the game after activating your VPN and setting it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try to quickly fix it. First, log in to your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct display area. Otherwise, you may need to change the physical address registered on your account. Second, some smart TVs, like Roku, don’t have VPN apps that you can install directly on the device. Instead, you’ll need to install the VPN on your router or mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any devices on your Wi-Fi network will now appear 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 a link sent to your email address registered on your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also come in handy, as both devices will appear in the correct location.
- And remember, browsers can often reveal a location despite using a VPN, so be sure to use a privacy-first browser to log in to their services. We usually recommend Brave.
