How to watch Patriots vs. Bengals in NFL Week 1 with & without cable

The wait is officially over, and the time has finally come to watch the New England Patriots get back on the field for the first game of the 2024 season. They head to Cincinnati, Ohio to take on the perennial Super Bowl contending Bengals in what should be a hard-fought game.

It's the start of what is projected to be a difficult schedule for the Patriots, who hope to have an improved offense with Jacoby Brissett under center and a maintained dominating defense to help stack some wins in what is very clearly a rebuilding year.

Expectations are incredibly low for what they will accomplish this year, with most predicting the Patriots will not win more than five games, which is, unfortunately, an improvement from their 4-13 season last year.

Although that would be a disappointing year considering the team's impressive winning history, Jerod Mayo hopes to revamp the roster and establish a new, long-lasting culture to get the team back on track and win games in the future with Drake Maye as the franchise quarterback. And to accomplish that requires patience and understanding, which is much easier said than done.

They will certainly be battle-tested early against the Bengals, who are just two years removed from their last Super Bowl appearance. They have made it clear they are in their championship window and intend to bring a Lombardi to Ohio sooner rather than later, so starting the season 1-0 would be a great way to start the new year.

Ensuring that doesn't happen would be an even better way for the Patriots to kick off the new era in Foxboro, which might seem far-fetched, but the Bengals barely won at Gillette Stadium the last time these teams met last Christmas Eve. If they struggled that much against a mediocre Patriots team last year, New England might have a better shot at taking home the win this time than most anticipate.

There are plenty of stories to watch in the days leading up to the game, mainly about Ja'Marr Chase's status. He is currently in a holdout over his contract and has yet to practice with his team, and his absence in their lineup on Sunday could greatly impact their offense's performance.

To ensure you won't miss the action, here is how you can catch the Week 1 game with or without cable.

Patriots vs. Bengals game details:

• Location: Paycor Stadium
• Kickoff time: 1:00 pm EST
• Last matchup: The Bengals beat the Patriots 22-18 on December 24, 2023 at Gillette Stadium.

How to watch Patriots vs. Bengals on TV:

The Patriots 2024 season opener will be broadcast on CBS and can be watched locally on WBZ-TV Channel 4. That means the game will be called by Ian Eagle and Charles Davis, with Evan Washburn reporting from the sidelines.

How to stream Patriots vs. Bengals:

If you are in the local market for the Patriots game, you can stream the game on Paramount+.

For fans watching out of market, NFL+ is available to see this game as well as NFL Sunday Ticket; both of which need a subscription to access.

International fans can access the game through DAZN.

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