After firing head coach Frank Reich this past week, the 1-10 Panthers will play their first game with former special-teams coach Chris Tabor at the helm and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown calling the plays. Perhaps this arrangement will lead to better results for top overall draft pick Bryce Young, who has struggled along with the rest of the team in his rookie year.

The Panthers face division rival Tampa Bay on the road Sunday. The Buccaneers have dropped two straight, falling to 4-7 on the season ahead of Sunday’s game.

The Panthers and Buccaneers kick off in Tampa Bay at 4:05 p.m. ET (1:05 p.m. PT) on CBS. Here is how you can watch, even if the game isn’t available on your local CBS channel.

According to 506 Sports, the game will be shown on TV in the Tampa Bay and Charlotte areas on live TV streaming services, but there may be cases where you’re blocked because of an internet location glitch, or you just want an added layer of privacy for streaming. There is an option that doesn’t require subscribing to something like NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Plus, or searching the internet for a sketchy 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

Panthers vs. Buccaneers game today: When and where?

This Week 13 NFL fixture has the Texans hosting the Broncos at 4:05 p.m. ET (1:05 p.m. PT) on Sunday. The game is at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida, home of the Bucs.

How to watch the Panthers vs. Buccaneers game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you’re unable to view the game locally due to incorrectly applied blackout restrictions, you may need a different way to watch — and that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN also encrypts your traffic, stopping your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day, plus it’s a great idea for adding an extra layer of privacy to your devices and log-ins when you’re traveling and connecting to various Wi-Fi networks. 

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has assigned an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can fix that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, non-blackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make 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’ve got a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. Be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it suspects of circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

How to watch Panthers vs. Buccaneers in the US

This week’s Panthers-Buccaneers game is on CBS, so in addition to a VPN, you’ll need a live TV streaming service carrying a local CBS affiliate that’s broadcasting the game. The good news for football fans is that CBS is available on most of the major streaming services. The least expensive option is Paramount Plus.

Those looking for CBS’ Sunday games will be able to stream them on Paramount Plus with its $6 per month Essentials tier. You can check whether your area has live CBS streaming here.

Read our Paramount Plus review.

Numerous other live TV streaming services carry local CBS stations, including YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, DirecTV Stream and Fubo. They all cost far more than Paramount Plus, but they also carry many live channels, including football-broadcasting channels like Fox and ESPN. Check out our live TV streaming services guide for details.

If you live in an area where the game is being broadcast, an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV is another option for watching CBS. The best part about antennas is that there are no monthly fees, though you will need to make sure you have good reception.

Quick tips for streaming the Panthers vs. Buccaneers game using a VPN

• With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience may vary.
• If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
• If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs including Roku don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears 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 you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to the email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
• Remember, browsers can give away locations despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We recommend Brave.