It's not often I praise CTV or the NFL. But those into the game and the playoff implications can be thankful for the network having the rights to this weekend's Packers-Bears game on Saturday night.

Many in the U.S. will miss this marquee attraction because it's airing almost exclusively on Amazon Prime down south. How did the streamer wind up with such a key match-up?

"Though the NFL typically schedules its best game for either Sunday late-afternoon or Sunday night, it wanted to placate Amazon, a growing partner.

“The NFL chose to lean into its burgeoning relationship with Prime Video’s owner, Amazon,” reported Jeff Agrest of the Chicago Sun-Times. “While the NFL remains committed to keeping games on broadcast TV, it wants streaming to be a significant part of its media rights,” he continued."

While Canadians can tune in for free, only fans in Wisconsin and Chicago will be able to see the game over regular free TV in the U.S. But get ready - the NFL is making big money deals with streamers and increasingly, some of the games will disappear behind a subscription-only paywall. 

This Weekend’s Marquee NFL Playoff Game Isn’t on Broadcast TV in the U.S.