The Buffalo Bills will one eye on the rest of the NFL on Sunday, Dec. 31, when they play the New England Patriots. The game will be live streamed on DirecTV Stream (free trial) and fuboTV (free trial and $20 off the first two months).

There are 14 scenarios that would give the Buffalo Bills their fifth consecutive playoff berth if they beat or tie New England on Sunday.

The Bills (9-6) don’t need reasons to not take the Patriots for granted. They only need think back to their 29-25 loss at New England on Oct. 22. Buffalo was limited to 10 points through three quarters and then — after scoring twice to take the lead with 1:58 remaining — allowed Mac Jones to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a 1-yard pass to Mike Gesicki with 12 seconds left.

The Bills appear to have put their midseason inconsistencies aside. After dropping four of six, Buffalo has rallied by winning four of five to sit sixth in the AFC. The Bills control their path to the playoffs and even have an outside shot of claiming a fourth straight division title. They would need to beat the Patriots, have the division-leading Dolphins lose at Baltimore, and then beat Miami in the finale.

The Patriots are closing out what could be their worst season under Belichick. While New England’s defense is playing at a high level, the offense continues to struggle. That’s been a persistent issue since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020.

While the tandem of Belichick and Brady owned Buffalo, going 34-9 from 2001-19, the Bills have turned the tables by going 6-2 since, including a playoff win.

When is Bills-Patriots?

The Bills and Patriots play at noon (1 p.m. ET) on Sunday, Dec. 31.

Will it be live streamed?

DirecTV Stream

DirecTV Stream offers a free trial.

There are four options of DirecTV Stream:

The Entertainment Package, which consists of 65+ channels, is $54.99 until the promotion runs out April 30. It’s the basic package for can’t-miss entertainment – including ESPN, TNT, Nickelodeon and HGTV.

The Choice Package has more than 90 channels and is $74.99 during the promotion. The channels in ENTERTAINMENT, plus MLB Network, NBA TV, college sports networks, and more. Enjoy Regional Sports Networks with no additional fees.

The Ultimate Package has more than 130 channels and is $89.99 during the promotion. Everything in CHOICE, plus Oxygen, Golf Channel, NHL Network, Universal Kids and more.

The Premier Package has more than 140 channels and is $134.99 during the promotion. Everything in ULTIMATE, plus HBO Max, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax and more.

DirecTV Stream offers a free trial that doesn’t require much effort.

To sign up, enter a phone number, email address and credit card, and you’ll receive five days of the service without charge.

In addition, enhance your experience with the DirecTV Stream device. While it doesn’t include a free trial, it give you access to thousands of apps like Netflix and more on Google Play. You can search using the voice remote with Google Assistant, and you can enjoy a traditional live TV channel guide. It is sold separately.

FuboTV

The game will be live streamed on fuboTV, which offers a free trial. The most basic of plans is the “fubo pro” package, which comprises 146-plus channels for $74.99 per month. Like all cord-cutting alternatives, there are plenty of options, especially for sports. It comes with more than 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR, and up to 10 screens at once.

There is also the “fubo elite” package, which comprises 205-plus channels for $84.99 per month. It comes with fuboExtra (48 more channels) and News Plus (11 more channels). Plus, more than 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR, and up to 10 screens at once.

The “fubo premiere” package is “fubo elite” with the addition of Showtime for $94.99 per month.

Will it be televised?

The Bills and Patriots will be broadcast on CBS and is subject to blackouts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.