At the start of the 2025 NFL season, the vibes were high around the Chicago Bears.
After the nightmare that was the Matt Eberflus era, fans looked forward to what new head coach Ben Johnson would bring to the table, and how his staff and system would mesh with 2024’s first overall pick, quarterback Caleb Williams.
Through two weeks, they looked like the same old Bears: ugly blowout defeats mixed with befuddlingly close losses.
What followed was one memorable roller coaster of a season, as the Bears finished with an 11-6 record, with seven of those wins coming after trailing in the final two minutes.
The thrill ride finally came to an end in the divisional round, as after winning the NFC North for the first time since 2018, Chicago’s luck ran out with a 20-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
With 2025 in the rear view mirror, and a new season on the horizon, let’s take a look at what might be in store for the Monsters of the Midway this year.
Week 1 @ Carolina (2025: 8-9, NFC South champions, lost in wild card vs. Los Angeles Rams)
The first week of the year takes Chicago on the road to face the Carolina Panthers, a team that also carries high expectations heading into this season. At least, until injuries hit them hard in camp and preseason, as they lost OLB Nic Scourton for the season to a torn ACL, and are short starters at both tackle spots for the start of the year.
If the Bears faced Carolina later in the season, it might be different, but I see Chicago starting 1-0.
Record: 1-0
Week 2 vs. Minnesota (2025: 9-8, third in NFC North)
Just like in 2025, the Bears have a home date with division rival Minnesota early in the year. Like Carolina, the Vikings have also improved in the offseason, most notably at quarterback, replacing JJ McCarthy with Kyler Murray. And as long as Brian Flores is the defensive coordinator, Minnesota is sure to have one of the league’s best defenses.
When looking at how hard the Bears’ schedule gets later in the season, this game carries extra weight. It’s gonna be a shootout, but I like Chicago’s odds in its home opener.
Record: 2-0
Week 3 vs. Philadelphia (2025: 11-6, NFC East champions, lost in wild card vs. San Francisco)
Chicago dominated last year’s Eagles/Bears tilt, as its defense held then-reigning Super Bowl champions Philadelphia to just 15 points. This year, the Eagles have a new offensive coordinator and return their entire offensive line. Defensively, too, they got better, bringing in edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and cornerback Riq Woolen.
I’m very open to being wrong here, but I think Philadelphia will start the year 3-0 and take this one on Monday Night Football in Chicago.
Record: 2-1
Week 4 vs. New York Jets (2025: 3-14, last in AFC East)
New York was historically bad last year, and bringing back Geno Smith to fix the problem at quarterback is certainly…something. The rest of the Jets’ offseason additions just don’t move the needle here.
Chicago will take care of business with a blowout win at home.
Record: 3-1
Week 5 @ Green Bay (2025: 9-7-1, second in NFC North, lost in wild card @ Chicago)
As much as I want to see Chicago demolish Green Bay every time these two teams meet, I must be at least somewhat realistic.
Yes, it’s true that the Packers may not have star edge rusher Micah Parsons available for this game. It’s also true that Chicago beat Green Bay twice last season in a trio of epic contests.
But in the best rivalry in the NFL, I put extra stock into home field advantage. This time, I think Green Bay wins in a nailbiter.
Record: 3-2
Week 6 @ Atlanta (2025: 8-9, third in NFC South)
A second straight road game brings the Bears to Atlanta, and this game stacks up as one that will be decided by which team has the better offensive weapons. The Falcons have better depth compared to last year, and made an improvement by bringing in Jahan Dotson to complement Drake London at wide receiver.
There’s just one issue here: those weapons aren’t much without a solid signal-caller.
And I, for one, believe Caleb Williams is a better quarterback than Tua Tagovailoa (or Michael Penix Jr., or whoever might be starting for the Falcons at this point - you just never know.)
The Bears will head into a tough three game stretch off a win over Atlanta.
Record: 4-2
Week 7 vs. New England (2025: 14-3, AFC East champions, lost in Super Bowl vs. Seattle)
On paper, facing the previous season’s Super Bowl participants in consecutive weeks seems like trouble.
While one of those teams, Seattle, still seems like a buzzsaw (we’ll get to them in a second,) the other, New England, has to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke aided by an easy schedule.
The Patriots added more options for third-year quarterback Drake Maye in the form of wideouts A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. They also gave a boost to their secondary by signing veteran safety (and 2025 All-Pro with Chicago) Kevin Byard III. Without a doubt, they should be considered one of the favorites in the AFC.
But what fun are predictions without upsets?
Two of the league’s best young stars in Maye and Williams will light it up on Thursday Night Football, and Chicago will get the best of New England.
Record: 5-2
Week 8 @ Seattle (2025: 14-3, NFC West champions, Super Bowl champions)
At this point, before the season begins, this is the most difficult game on Chicago’s schedule. Seattle is coming off its second Super Bowl win in franchise history, and is returning one of the best wide receiver rooms in football, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed and Cooper Kupp all running it back.
The momentum is all there, without even mentioning the talent on the defensive side of the ball. And, this one’s at Lumen Field - one of the toughest road environments in the league.
This could be a close game, but I don’t see a world in which Seattle doesn’t take this one.
Record: 5-3
Week 9 vs. Tampa Bay (2025: 8-9, second in NFC South)
The Buccaneers ranked 27th in the league in pass defense a year ago, and they weren’t able to make a splash in the secondary this offseason. Tampa Bay also saw franchise cornerstones Lavonte David and Mike Evans depart in free agency.
While the addition of Rueben Bain Jr. as an exterior rush threat to complement defensive tackle Vita Vea is menacing, it’s not enough to tilt this matchup away from Chicago’s playmakers in the passing game.
Record: 6-3
Week 10: BYE
Week 11 vs. New Orleans (2025: 6-11, last in NFC South)
This is another matchup that doesn’t need too much analysis. The Bears let New Orleans off a bit easy last year, only winning by 12 in Week 7. There’s no reason for Chicago not to win this game in convincing fashion coming off the bye week.
Record: 7-3
Week 12 @ Detroit (2025: 9-8, last in NFC North)
The Lions were the only NFC North team Chicago did not beat last season. When these two teams played in Week 2 last year, head coach Dan Campbell’s squad handed the Bears their largest loss of the season. In the second edition, Chicago only lost by three points, but did not play well.
This year, with questions remaining for Chicago defensively, Detroit has the advantage on their home field.
Record: 7-4
Week 13 vs. Jacksonville (2025: 13-4, AFC South champions, lost in wild card vs. Buffalo)
This game has all the makings of a barnburner, despite it being on the first weekend of December in Chicago. I give the defensive edge to Jacksonville, who had the best run defense in the league last year. A win here could require a flawless game from Williams and company.
If the Bears aren’t battered by injuries on offense at this point, I think they’ll come away with this one, but it might take some late game heroics.
Record: 8-4
Week 14 @ Miami (2025: 7-10, third in AFC East)
Barring a situation where Miami’s new quarterback, Malik Willis, is the second coming of Dan Marino, the Dolphins will be firmly in the hunt for the first pick in the 2027 NFL Draft at this point.
Chicago will force some takeaways and get the job done on the road.
Record: 9-4
Week 15 @ Buffalo (2025: 12-5, second in AFC East, lost in divisional round @ Denver)
Last year, Chicago had two big streaks, the bigger of which saw it go 5-0 in November. As great as it would be to repeat that sort of streak in 2026, especially late in the hunt for the division title, it likely won’t be here.
Buffalo is another AFC favorite, as quarterback Josh Allen has a new WR1 in DJ Moore. This road environment, much like Seattle, could be too much for Chicago to handle.
Record: 9-5
Week 16 vs. Green Bay
This is the game I most look forward to this season. It’s on Christmas Day, and the Packers will have Micah Parsons (whose services they did not have in the Bears’ two victories over them last year) available. But, as we saw last year, Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson live for this rivalry - there’s real hatred here.
Once again, home field advantage will make a difference, and the Packers will fail to ruin Christmas.
Record: 10-5
Week 17 vs. Detroit
If the NFC North shapes up to be one of the best divisions in the league for a second straight year, this game should have major playoff implications. It helps that it’s at home for Chicago, but that won’t be enough to stop the explosive Lions offense.
Record: 10-6
Week 18 @ Minnesota
Just like in Week 2, this has the potential to be a high-scoring affair. Ideally, for Chicago, Week 18 doesn’t mean much for a second straight season, and Ben Johnson is able to rest some starters for the playoffs. The Vikings will get the job done at home.
Record: 10-7
