The Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons are relying on former backup quarterbacks as the teams headed in opposite directions prepare to meet on Sunday, Dec. 24. The game will be live streamed on DirecTV Stream (free trial) and fuboTV (free trial and $20 off the first two months).

The Colts (8-6) have won five of six with Gardner Minshew leading the offense to move into a share of first place in the AFC South. The Falcons (6-8) have benched turnover-plagued starter Desmond Ridder for the second time this season following two straight losses. Taylor Heinicke again moves into the starting role as the Falcons try to improve their fading playoff chances.

The 30-year-old Heinicke, who played for Washington the last three years, is with his fourth NFL team. Minshew, 27, is with his third. Heinicke says he doesn’t know Minshew but believes they have much in common, including fun-loving personalities.

Minshew has been the Colts’ starter since mid-October, when rookie Anthony Richardson had season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder.

Falcons coach Arthur Smith plans to stick with Heinicke for the final three regular-season games. That stretch could be crucial for Smith’s future with the team. Falcons owner Arthur Blank said this week he will wait until after the season to decide if Smith, who is 20-28 in his three seasons, will return in 2024.

Ridder has thrown 10 touchdown passes with 10 interceptions, including a late pick in the red zone in last week’s 9-7 loss to the league-worst Carolina Panthers. The Falcons have fallen to third place in the division, one game behind Tampa Bay and New Orleans.

The Colts are tied with Jacksonville and Houston in the AFC South.

When is Colts-Falcons?

The Colts and Falcons play at noon (1 p.m. ET) on Sunday, Dec. 24.

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 Colts and Falcons will be broadcast on Fox.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.