The Chicago Bears 2018 schedule is fast approaching. Less than two weeks remain before the regular season kick off. One in which this team hopes to finally end what has been a difficult losing streak dating back half a decade. Much of accomplishing that depends on how they handle the slat NFL schedule-makers have thrown at them.
Predictors took a stab at the slate following the NFL draft and free agency when the majority of the Bears roster had come into focus. However, that may have been a bit premature. Only after injuries and first impressions have set in regarding training camp and preseason might it be wise to make the picks properly.
So with one preseason game remaining, here’s a rundown of the Bears schedule from games 1-16. Do they achieve their goal?
Week 1 @ Green Bay Packers – Loss
It seems rather fitting that Matt Nagy was thrown to the wolves in his very first game as head coach. The Bears have been blown out each of the past two times they’ve played the Packers up at Lambeau Field. It won’t be the case this time as the teams will play a tight game. However, the inexperience of the Bears offense and limited pass rush on defense will give Green Bay just enough to hold serve at home.
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Week 2 vs. Seattle Seahawks – Win
This is not the same Seahawks that dominated the NFC five years ago. Seattle has undergone a massive transition in the past calendar. Most of their stellar defense is gone. Their offensive weaponry is also limited. Right now Russell Wilson is their biggest threat. The Bears can’t overlook that though. Wilson was 5-3 on the road last season. He’s dangerous. If the defense can keep him bottled up, this will be their first win of 2018.
Week 3 @ Arizona Cardinals – Win
This team still has lingering talent in a lot of areas. A good pass rush, a stud cornerback and an All-Pro running back. Not to mention the ageless Larry Fitzgerald. The Bears can’t let national assumptions sway them from reality. Arizona is capable of playing better than some might care to think. That said, they have a glaring weakness at quarterback that could be further exposed behind a shaky offensive line.
Week 4 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Win
The Buccaneers has spanked the Bears each of the past two times the teams have met. With that said, both of those games were in Tampa Bay. This one will be in Chicago. The Bucs have won just six times there dating all the way back to 1978. They’ll also be in a bit of a wonky position as quarterback Jameis Winston will have just returned from suspension, so there’s a rust factor involved too. No doubt the Bears would love some revenge.
BYE WEEK
Week 6 @ Miami Dolphins – Win
Historically, bad things happen to the Bears when they go down to Miami. They lost their only game of the season there in 1985. They also lost Super Bowl XLI there. However, of late they’ve had a lot of luck down in South Beach, winning three of their last four visits there. Not to mention the Dolphins are a team that looks thin in a lot of areas on both offense and defense, especially up front. Expect Chicago to take advantage.
Week 7 vs. New England Patriots – Loss
Look the Bears have never beaten Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. Few people ever do. It’s the greatest QB-head coach tandem in NFL history and they’re fresh off another Super Bowl trip. There’s nothing to indicate they’ve lost a step in terms of their effectiveness to dictate games at their speed. It’s unreasonable to expect a young Bears team to have the mental fortitude to keep up with them.
Week 8 vs. New York Jets – Win
The Jets have a good thing going for them now with the arrival of Sam Darnold at quarterback. Together with a young and building defense, this team won’t be a pushover as many might think. They’ll hang in a lot of games this year and win a few of them. The good news is the Bears are a more complete team at this stage and also 4-1 against the Jets at Soldier Field since 1979. Don’t expect them to have a letdown.
Week 9 @ Buffalo Bills – Win
It’s hard to understand what the Buffalo Bills are doing. They’ve made several head-scratching roster decisions in the past few months. Most experts view them as the least talented NFL team going into this season, which is stunning since they made the playoffs last year. They have their choice of either a rookie quarterback in Josh Allen or one of two career backups in A.J. McCarron or Nathan Peterman. Regardless, one of them will have to stand behind a dubious offensive line.
Week 10 vs. Detroit Lions – Win
By rights, the Bears should’ve beaten the Lions at home last year. Unfortunately, the team suffered some bad miscues in the final seconds of the 4th quarter that cost them the game. Most notably was a missed field goal to force overtime by Connor Barth. So they’ll go into this game with some unfinished business. They’re a much better team this time around and the Lions don’t appear to have stayed a step ahead.
Week 11 vs. Minnesota Vikings – Loss
Facts are facts. The Vikings have arguably the most talented roster in the NFL and they just got done adding a former Pro Bowl quarterback in Kirk Cousins to the mix. Cousins is undefeated in two trips to Soldier Field thus far and he’ll have the better team on paper in this one. Chicago always plays Minnesota tough at home but this doesn’t feel like the point in time where they’ll be ready to change the script.
Weel 12 @ Detroit Lions – Loss
As great as the win in Chicago will feel, the Bears have problems playing the Lions in Detroit. Trubisky threw three interceptions the last time he played in that building. It’s a tough environment to thrive in for any road team. The Lions will have tons of incentive to win here after losing that crucial game two weeks prior. While the score should be close, they won’t let it escape this time.
Week 13 @ New York Giants – Loss
This will probably be the toughest loss of the season for the Bears. That feared letdown game. New York was a worse team than them in 2017 but every year is different in the NFL. The Giants made some significant upgrades both to their roster and coaching staff. They have #2 overall pick Saquon Barkley running the ball, Odell Beckham Jr. back healthy and former Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur as head coach. Throw in home field and the Bears will struggle to overcome.
Week 14 vs. Los Angeles Rams – Loss
Finishing in December has always been a problem for the Bears throughout their period of losing since 2014. It doesn’t get off to the best start when they have to play the Los Angeles Rams, a Super Bowl favorite here. They have the best offense in the NFL and now a defense laden with veteran studs like Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters. They’re built to win now, and they will.
Week 15 vs. Green Bay Packers – Win
The Bears haven’t beaten the Packers at Soldier Field in eight years. Try to understand how humiliating that must feel for fans. No doubt many will go into this game thinking it will be more of the same. Especially after a four-game losing streak. Not this time though. Nagy learned from Andy Reid what it takes to save a team during in-season slides. He picks his moment perfectly here, getting a spirited effort from his team to shock Green Bay.
Week 16 @ San Francisco 49ers – Win
Everybody is talking about how great the 49ers are and yet that team only won one more game than the Bears did last year. That game was a narrow 15-14 win in Chicago, capped by five Robbie Gould field goals including the game-winner. This time it will be the Bears who are out for some payback. By this point, Trubisky will be well-versed in his new offense and come out to have one of his best games of the year.
Week 17 @ Minnesota Vikings – Loss
Like Detroit, the Bears have a hard time winning in Minnesota. If anything they’re even worse there than they are at Ford Field. Perhaps because the Vikings field better teams. Truth be told Chicago might catch a break with Minnesota likely in the playoffs by this point and nothing left to play for. Then again they used that excuse last year and still got blown out 23-10. It will be another tough learning experience.
