newper wrote:
I enjoyed this reddit compilation of all the predictions from the ESPN beat writers of the Bears opponents:
Week 1: @ Green Bay Packers
There’s no better opponent for the start of the Packers’ 100th season than the rival Bears. With last season’s sweep, the Packers took the lead in the all-time series for the first time since 1933. Their lead will grow.
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks catch a bit of a break here with this game coming early in the season as opposed to, say, late December, when Soldier Field will be an ice box. They're an incredible 22-4-1 in prime-time games under Pete Carroll. They'll improve that record in the first of their five prime-time games in 2018.
Week 3: @ Arizona Cardinals
It’ll still be hot in Arizona, so that may be one obstacle for the Bears that Arizona can exploit. Facing a young second-year quarterback will be another. Arizona now has Mike Glennon on its roster and he can give them the ins and outs of Mitchell (Pro Bowl QB) Trubisky better than anyone.
Week 4: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs’ first three opponents had a .771 average win percentage from last season, which is the highest in the league when comparing teams’ first three opponents. They'll catch a little bit of a break in Chicago against a Bears squad that has finished 14-34 the last three seasons. The Bucs’ all-time record in Chicago is 6-21 -- going back to the old NFC Central days, but they've gone 2-0 against the Bears the last two years. They won't be able to push the tempo in sweltering Tampa heat, though, but possibly on the inexperience of young Mitch (Pro Bowl QB) Trubisky.
Week 6: @ Miami Dolphins
Adam Gase hosts his former team, whose offense he coordinated in 2015. This is a game Tannehill should win over Mitchell (Pro Bowl QB) Trubisky.
Week 7: vs. New England Patriots
The Bears will have already had their bye (Week 5) and this game falls in the middle of an unusual stretch in which they play all four AFC East teams in succession (at Miami, vs. New England, vs. New York Jets, at Buffalo). It’s the Patriots’ first trip to Chicago since Dec. 12, 2010, when Brady cut through the stuff wind and wintry conditions with one of the most underrated performances of his career in a 36-7 win
Week 8: vs. New York Jets
Pardon Bowles if he feels a little old. He has known new Bears coach Matt Nagy, 39, since Nagy was a toddler. You see, Nagy's father, Bill, was a coach on Bowles' high school team in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Matt was a 2-year-old spectator when Elizabeth, led by Bowles, played for the state championship in 1980 at Giants Stadium. In this game, age prevails over youth.
Week 9: @ Buffalo Bills
This begins the much softer second half of the schedule. If Mitchell (Pro Bowl QB) Trubisky marches into New Era Field and gets the win, something is wrong.
Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions
The Bears should be better than last year and Detroit has always had awkwardly tough games in Soldier Field (although recently they've won). I'm going to throw a wrench into the schedule here and predict that on a cold, blustery, snowy afternoon this ends in a rough, not-that-exciting 3-0 game.
Week 11: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Coming off their bye, the Vikings head to a place where they flipped the script at Soldier Field last season. The Bears are better, but they’re still a season or two away from being able to go toe-to-toe with the Vikings.
Week 12: @ Detroit Lions
The Lions have won five straight at home against Chicago. As mentioned before, the Bears are better and have a bunch of nice offensive pieces. But Detroit's offense, at home, in the midst of trying to stay in the playoff picture, handles Chicago in a nationally televised spot.
Week 13: @ New York Giants
The Bears will be better this season. But so will the Giants. The home team dominates the young quarterback. Finally back to .500 with a third straight win.
Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Mitch (Pro Bowl QB) Trubisky still has some growing to do. Facing Talib, Peters, Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald is not the ideal way to go about it. The Bears still aren't a very good team, and the Rams should win easily.
Week 15: vs. Green Bay Packers
A win at Soldier Field has been all but a sure thing of late. The Packers will make it 10 out of the last 11 in the Windy City.
Week 16: @ San Francisco 49ers
Niners kicker Robbie Gould helped the Niners knock off the Bears late last season, but this Chicago team should be much better after some strong offseason additions and a well-designed coaching change. While Chicago should be improved, it will likely be out of the playoff race at this point, and the Niners will be making a final push as they wrap up a perfect home record.
Week 17: @ Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota caps off its regular-season slate with another victory against Chicago. The Vikings are back in the playoffs for a third time under Zimmer.
Undefeated at losing?
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