Relative to the rest of the NFL, the Chicago Bears schedule for this season looks optimal. The two primary divisions they face outside of the NFC North are the NFC South and the AFC West. With that being said, this is the NFL, and there’s a reason the phrase “any given Sunday” exists. These games are very hard to predict, especially over three months in advance when the rosters and schematics haven’t fully taken shape yet. Nevertheless, that’s what we are here to do.
Weeks 1-5
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes – AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
The Bears’ season opens in Chicago against their hated rivals, the Green Bay Packers. Even without Aaron Rodgers, the Packers still have a ton of talent on their roster, particularly on the defensive end with guys like Jaire Alexander, Rashan Gary, and De’Vondre Campbell. It is worth noting that the Packers were one of the worst run defenses in the league last year, as they finished 26th in rushing yards allowed and 28th in yards per carry. Given the absence of Rodgers and the advantage in the ground game, the Bears should take this in week 1.
For Week 2 they take on the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. Much like the Packers without Aaron Rodgers, the Buccaneers without Tom Brady will look vastly different next year. Even with that, there is still a lot of talent on this roster, with guys like Mike Evans, Tristan Wirfs, and Vita Vea. The last time Fields played Tampa, it was a struggle for him, as he threw three interceptions in a 32-point loss. And while he should play better, the Buccaneers should still pull this out, whether it’s Kyle Trask or Baker Mayfield starting at quarterback.
In Week 3 they take on the defending champion Chiefs in Arrowhead. There isn’t much of a reason to think that the Chiefs shouldn’t handle Chicago in this game, even with the strides Chicago made in the offseason. The best chance that the Bears have is by keeping Patrick Mahomes off the field, but that’s easier said than done against an underrated Chiefs defense.
In Week 4, the Bears host Russell Wilson and the Broncos. Denver is perhaps the biggest wild card out of any team in the NFL this year. It’s very hard to predict how they’ll play this year given their new acquisition at coach Sean Payton. With that said, the Broncos should win this game with the talent they have on both sides of the ball. If Payton’s able to develop a chemistry with Wilson akin to the one he had with Drew Brees back in New Orleans, who’s to say the Broncos can’t be an AFC contender?
In Week 5 they’ll head to Washington to take on the Commanders. Washington is another team that’s hard to predict, as their season almost entirely hinges on if Sam Howell can take a leap. The Commanders should have a good defense to back him up. Still, the Bears barely lost to them last year in one of the ugliest games of the season last year, and with the improvements made to the roster, the Bears should win this game.
Weeks 6-11
Bears QB Justin Fields (1) – Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
For week 6, the Bears host another division rival, the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings shed a lot of the veterans on their team from last year, namely Patrick Peterson and Za’Darius Smith. Even with them, they were already one of the worst defenses in the league in 2022, ranking 28th in points allowed and second to last in yards allowed. The Bears should have the advantage in the ground game, and if that does turn out to be the case, the signs point to them pulling it out in Soldier Field.
For week 7, they host the Las Vegas Raiders. The health of Jimmy Garoppolo is the biggest factor in this game. If he’s good to go, the Raiders should win this game behind their weapons in Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams. If he isn’t ready to go, the Bears should be able to handle them. Given Garoppolo’s lack of reliability in terms of health, I think the Bears will win this game.
For week 8, they head to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers. There’s an obvious mismatch in terms of talent on the field, with the likes of Justin Herbert, Derwin James, and Khalil Mack leading the charge. That being said, the Chargers are about as unpredictable on a weekly basis as any team in the NFL. They could very easily lay a stinker and play down to competition. Even still, it’s safer to bet on Herbert and the Chargers to win this under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football.
In Week 9, the Bears head to the Bayou to take on the Saints. If things break the right way for New Orleans, they could be one of the better teams in the NFC. A favorable schedule and a good roster top to bottom could make them a dark horse candidate for a top-two seed in the NFC. And with how much talent they possess on defense with Cameron Jordan, Marshon Lattimore, and Demario Davis, they should give Fields and company a hard time and get the win.
In Week 10 the Bears host the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night. This a real toss-up, as neither team has a clear edge over the other. The Panthers do have a promising young defense with guys like Brian Burns, Frankie Luvu, and Jaycee Horn. They could be vulnerable against the run as they only ranked 18th in rushing yards allowed for the season in 2022. That being said, they should take this in Chicago.
In Week 11 they head to Detroit to take on the Lions, a team that’d projected to take the next step in 2023. They have a ton of offensive firepower with guys like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, DJ Chark, and their new first-round running back, Jahmyr Gibbs. Combine that with one of the best offensive lines in football and a solid QB in Jared Goff, and you have an offense with elite potential. This game should be a shootout and should result in a Lions home win.
Weeks 12-18
Bears QB Justin Fields (1) – Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In Week 12 the Bears head back to Minnesota for a Monday night showdown. Even with their defensive losses, the Vikings still have a lot of talent on the roster with guys like Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw. By this point of the season, they’ll likely be fighting for playoff contention, and it’s hard to imagine that they’ll lose this game at home against this Bears team.
After a Week 13 bye, the Bears host the Lions in Week 14. In Chicago, and especially off of a bye week, it’s easy to imagine this Bears team playing with some energy against a division rival in Detroit. This could end up being another shootout, but it should go the Bears’ way this time.
In Week 15 they head to Cleveland to play the Browns. Along with the Broncos, the Browns are one of the hardest teams to predict this year, mostly due to Deshaun Watson. Still, even if Watson is at or slightly above the level of play, he showed last year; the Browns should get this one. The last time these two teams faced off, Justin Fields threw for 68 yards and got sacked nine times.
In Week 16 they host the Cardinals. Arizona is projected to be maybe the worst team in all of football this year, and for a good reason, given Kyler Murray’s injury and the general lack of talent surrounding the team. Chicago should be able to take care of business here.
In the penultimate week of the season, the Bears host the Atlanta Falcons. If Desmond Ridder is as good as advertised, this could be a very interesting matchup. If he’s not, the Bears should handily win this game in the cold Chicago weather. Either way, this should be a Bears win.
In the final week of the season, they rematch with the Packers in Lambeau Field. It largely depends on if the Packers are in playoff contention by the time the season ends. If they are, they should beat a Bears team that is not really playing for much besides bragging rights. If they aren’t, the Bears could give them a run for their money. With that said, the Packers should win.
Results
Overall, the Bears should finish 7-10 this season. Their ceiling is around a 9-win team if everything goes well for them. Justin Fields should take a leap in this third year, but it’d be hard to imagine it being a third-year leap comparable to Josh Allen in 2020 or even a second-year leap like Lamar Jackson in 2019. If Fields is able to take a leap comparable to those guys, things will get very scary for the NFC in 2023. As is, it’s fair to expect this Bears team to be better than they were last year, but not necessarily an NFC or playoff contender, at least not yet.
