The 2023 NFL Playoffs are revving into high gear as the Buffalo Bills host the Miami Dolphins in a Wild Card matchup at Highmark Stadium.
The game is slated for 1:00 p.m. (ET) Sunday, January 15. Australia’s been showing a lot of interest in the NFL, and viewers can watch the entire NFL Wild Card Weekend using Sydney’s free-to-air Seven Network. Here’s how you can too.
- Select a VPN with reliable Australian servers. We’ve tested Surfshark extensively for sports streaming.
- Create an account and download the VPN on your favorite streaming device.
- Log in to the VPN app using the credentials you created at sign-up.
- Connect to a server in Australia.
- Visit 7plus’s live stream on the 7mate channel. You’ll need an email address and Australian postcode (which you can look up online) to get a free account.
- Enjoy the Dolphins vs. Bills and the rest of the 2023 NFL playoffs!
Check out our full article below for more details on streaming with VPNs and other live streams of 2023 NFL Wild Card Playoff games!
The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills met twice in 2022, with each team picking up a win in their regular-season matchups. This Wild Card Playoff game marks the best of three. The winner will continue on the road to Super Bowl LVII.
The Dolphins vs. Bills kick off the 2023 NFL Playoffs on Sunday, January 15, at 1:00 p.m. (EST).
Want to watch this and other NFL Wild Card games for free online? We’ll show you how no matter where you are in the world.
How to Watch Dolphins vs. Bills for Free Online (via Australia)
Pro football’s popularity is spreading well beyond the United States, and Australia has become a new hotbed for NFL fans.
The Land Down Under’s free-to-air Seven Network has cut a deal with the NFL to cover the 2023 NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl LVII. This means you can watch live streams of the entire Super Wild Card Weekend, including the Dolphins and Bills, on their 7plus website this Sunday.
But this free stream is only available to Aussies or anyone living in Australia with a 7plus account. Websites read users’ IP addresses, which is a dead giveaway for your location. So how can you access geo-blocked content from another country?
Just change your IP address! A virtual private network (VPN) lets you do this with a click. You can change your virtual location to any country you’d like. To access this stream, we’ll need an Australian IP address.
Here’s how you to live stream the Dolphins vs. Bills for free with a VPN.
1. Get a Surfshark subscription
Surfshark is our go-to VPN for streaming live sports. It worked great with 7plus when we tested it, largely thanks to these points:
- Server locations in five different Australian cities
- Over 3,200 servers in 100 countries
- Fast connection speeds, especially for distant servers
- 30-day money-back guarantee
You’ll need to visit their site, create an account and download the software. You can try out Surfshark for free from the Wild Card Weekend right up until Super Bowl LVII using their 30-day money-back guarantee.
If you’re a first-timer, don’t fret. Surfshark’s one of the most user-friendly apps we’ve come across. As far as downloading and installing, it’s on all major app stores and is compatible with major operating systems like Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. Just choose your favorite streaming device. It could even be your Smart TV.
2. Connect to an Australian server
Once you’ve got the app, it’s time to connect to Australia. There’s a search box where you can enter countries to connect to. Type in “Australia,” and you’ll see server options for Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth. Any of these cities will do the trick.
Click a city, and Surfshark automatically connects you to a server there. You’re good to go when you see the message: “Protected. Your connection is safe.”
3. Get over to Australia’s 7plus website
To watch Dolphins vs. Bills for free on 7plus:
- Connect to a server in Australia.
- Go to 7plus’s live stream of the Dolphins vs. Bills on channel 7mate.
- You’ll be prompted to set up a 7plus account. This takes a minute or so. You will need an email address and an Australian postcode, which you can find online.
- Once you’ve completed the email confirmation, tune into the Dolphins vs. Bills for free on Sunday!
You’ll also be able to watch the entire 2023 NFL Playoffs for free, which isn’t a bad deal. If you’re not a big fan of sign-ups and account creation, check out our list of free NFL streaming sites as an alternative.
Dolphins vs. Bills: Other NFL Free Live Streams
We’re big fans of using 7plus to watch NFL games for free, but there are plenty of other ways to stream sports.
To catch the Dolphins vs. Bills Wild Card Playoff game online, fans in the United States can go direct to Paramount+ or other streaming platforms that carry CBS. Here they are below:
| Service | Channels | Price | Free trial? | Do I need a VPN to watch it? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube TV | 100+ channels | $54.99 per month (first three months) | 14-day free trial | Yes, if you’re not within the US. |
| FuboTV | 150+ channels | $69.99–$99.99 per month | Seven-day free trial | Yes, if you’re not within the US, Canada, or Spain. |
| DIRECTV STREAM | 75+ live TV channels | $69.99 per month | Five-day free trial | Yes, if you’re not within the US. |
| Hulu + Live TV | 75+ channels | $69.99 per month (first three months) | No | Yes, if you’re not within the US. |
If you’re outside the U.S., you will need an American IP address to use these sites. Just use a VPN like Surfshark to connect to a U.S. server; they’ll work as if you were in the country.
NFL Wild Card Round Schedule
You can watch all the games this Super Wild Card Weekend on the Seven Network (7plus) in Australia. In the U.S., though, with coverage spread across different networks, it’s easier to watch with the bundled streaming services we mentioned above. You’ll need NBC (Peacock), CBS (Paramount+), FOX, and ESPN/ABC for U.S.-based broadcasts.
Here’s a rundown of the Wild Card Playoff weekend.
Saturday, January 14, 2023
| Matchup | Start Time | BROADCASTER |
|---|---|---|
| Seahawks vs. 49ers | 4:30 p.m. E.T | Seven Network (AU), FOX (US) |
| Chargers vs. Jaguars | 8:15 p.m. E.T | Seven Network (AU), NBC (US) |
Sunday, January 15, 2023
| Matchup | Start Time | BROADCASTER |
|---|---|---|
| Dolphins vs. Bills | 1:00 p.m. E.T | Seven Network (AU), CBS (US) |
| Giants vs. Vikings | 4:30 p.m. E.T | Seven Network (AU), FOX (US) |
| Ravens vs. Bengals | 8:15 p.m. E.T | Seven Network (AU), NBC (US) |
Monday, January 16, 2023
| Matchup | Start Time | BROADCASTER |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys vs. Buccaneers | 8:15 p.m. E.T | Seven Network (AU), ESPN (US) |
Dolphins vs. Bills: What to Expect
The Buffalo Bills are headed into Sunday’s matchup as the No. 2 seed in the AFC and favorites against the Miami Dolphins. Although the Bills and Dolphins have claimed a win each in their two regular-season clashes this year, Miami will be headed to the Wild Card Playoff game with the noticeable absence of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa is out with another concussion and hasn’t been given the go-ahead to play this weekend by team doctors.
While the Dolphins ace could hold his own against the Bills’ Josh Allen, Miami’s yet to even settle on Teddy Bridgewater or rookie Skylar Thompson as a replacement — neither of who would be expected to match Allen on the field. Considering Bridgewater’s hand injury, it looks like the rookie might get the call. Allen has put up 4,283 passing yards and 35 touchdowns during the 2022 season, with 704 of those yards and six touchdowns coming against Miami. That’s not counting the 124 yards rushing against the Dolphins.
The Dolphins will be looking for a miracle to knock out one of the best-looking teams in the NFL, which might come in the form of either quarterback finding persistent Bills threat Jaylen Waddle. Miami’s wide receiver has found a way to deke the Bills’ defense across two games, catching five passes for 214 yards and finding the endzone once against the Bills this season. Even if the Bills shift their focus, Tyreek Hill could easily make it up on his end.
With the Hill and Waddle threat, the Bills will also have to hone in on their defense. Buffalo is ranked 10th in the NFL with 77 missed tackles this year. Miami’s rushing game can be dangerous as well. Led by Raheem Mostert, the Dolphins rushed for 188 yards against the Bills in December.
Although Mostert’s start is questionable on Sunday due to a broken thumb, Salvon Ahmed and Jeff Wilson Jr. could cut their way through the Bills’ defense. Whether or not that will be enough to pull off one of the biggest upsets in NFL Playoff history is yet to be seen.
