Chicago Bears schedule 2026: Takeaways, predictions
CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears‘2026 schedule was launched together with the remainder of the NFL slate on Thursday.
Last season, Chicago captured the NFC North for the primary time since 2018 courtesy of an 11-win season, together with seven one-score wins. It adopted with its first playoff win in 15 years.
The NFL is making an attempt to capitalize on the Bears’ momentum by placing them in seven standalone home windows, together with three straight weeks wherein they will seem on “Thursday Night Football” (Week 7 vs. Patriots), “Monday Night Football” (Week 8 at Seahawks) and “Sunday Night Football” (Week 9 vs. Buccaneers).
It will not be straightforward for the Bears to duplicate their success. Year 2 of the Ben Johnson period options the NFL’s hardest power of schedule (the Bears’ opponents had a mixed .550 win share final yr).
Here’s what’s in retailer for the Bears:
Bears 2026 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 13 at Carolina Panthers
Week 2: Sept. 20 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 3: Sept. 28 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (MNF)
Week 4: Oct. 4 vs. New York Jets
Week 5: Oct. 11 at Green Bay Packers
Week 6: Oct. 18 at Atlanta Falcons
Week 7: Oct. 22 vs. New England Patriots (TNF)
Week 8: Nov. 2 at Seattle Seahawks (MNF)
Week 9: Nov. 8 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (SNF)
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: Nov. 22 vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 12: Nov. 26 at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving)
Week 13: Dec. 6 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 14: Dec. 13 at Miami Dolphins
Week 15: Dec. 20 at Buffalo Bills (Primetime)
Week 16: Dec. 25 vs. Green Bay Packers (Christmas)
Week 17: Jan. 3 vs. Detroit Lions
Week 18: Jan 10 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Strength of schedule: The Bears have the toughest schedule within the league (opponents had a .550 profitable share in 2025).
DraftKings over/beneath win complete: 9.5
ESPN analyst Mike Clay’s projected win complete: 9.3
Biggest takeaway
The Bears are again to being primetime darlings. The NFL clearly believes within the intrigue round this staff, as evidenced by Chicago being positioned in seven standalone home windows.
The marketability of star quarterbacks in Caleb Williams and Jalen Hurts units the desk for a Week 3 go to from the Eagles on MNF. The Bears have a stretch of three straight primetime video games in Weeks 7-9 towards final season’s Super Bowl contributors, New England and Seattle, respectively, adopted by Tampa Bay at dwelling.
Chicago’s assembly with the Bills shall be in a standalone window, and the Bears may also play in entrance of nationally televised audiences on Thanksgiving (at Detroit) and Christmas (dwelling vs. Green Bay).
Circle these dates
Chicago has the third-best odds (+320) to win the NFC North, in accordance with DraftKings Sportsbook. Weeks 16-18, when the Bears have the Packers and Lions at dwelling on Dec. 25 and Jan. 3, adopted by their last recreation of the season on the highway towards the Vikings on Jan. 10, it would very effectively resolve whether or not the Bears can win back-to-back division tiles.
Last season, the Bears went 2-4 towards the NFC North and eked out shut wins at Minnesota and in extra time at Soldier Field towards Green Bay.
Bold prediction
Three of the Bears’ first 4 video games shall be at dwelling, together with Week 4 vs. the Jets, which is able to permit the revamped offensive line to gel with out having to fret about issues that include taking part in in hostile highway environments, such because the silent rely.
Look for Chicago to be 3-1 by the point it faces the Packers in Week 5 and 2-0 in division video games earlier than their Week 10 bye (wins over Minnesota and Green Bay).
Starting sooner in video games is a precedence for Chicago’s offense, and the good thing about attending to mesh new items of the offense in entrance of dwelling crowds will present the Bears the recent begin they’re looking for.
When can followers anticipate to see rookie heart Logan Jones beginning?
Jones shall be beginning by Week 11. Teams do not use a second-round choose on a middle if they do not anticipate him to contribute early. The Bears drafted the Iowa product with the 57th choose and have made excessive remarks about his readiness to play.
“My visit with him when he was here, I was extremely impressed by his football knowledge, makeup; very mature and, to me, it’s not, ‘We’re getting a rookie,’ we’re getting a guy that’s a little bit more of a seasoned player, which really is not uncommon for those Iowa linemen,” Johnson stated.
The Bears are prone to begin Garrett Bradbury till Jones is able to take over, however very like Ozzy Trapilo Becoming Chicago’s beginning left deal with in Week 12 as a rookie final season, the Bears have demonstrated that they don’t seem to be afraid to make the transfer as soon as a rookie offensive lineman reveals he is prepared for a beginning job.
