The Chicago Bears unveiled their 2026 schedule last week, which features a difficult slate for a team looking to retain their NFC North title and make a statement in head coach Ben Johnson’s second season.
In addition to facing their NFC foes twice, the Bears will play the NFC South and AFC East next season, which includes home games against the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as away games against the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers. With the Bears finishing first in the NFC North, they’ll also face the same-place finishers in the NFC East, NFC West and AFC South.
Our Bears Wire staff are sharing their game-by-game and record predictions for the 2026 season.
Week 1: Bears at Panthers
Week 2: Bears vs. Vikings
Week 3: Bears vs. Eagles
Week 4: Bears vs. Jets
Week 5: Bears at Packers
Week 6: Bears at Falcons
Week 7: Bears vs. Patriots
Week 8: Bears at Seahawks
Week 9: Bears vs. Buccaneers
Week 10: Bye Week
Week 11: Bears vs. Saints
Week 12: Bears at Lions
Week 13: Bears vs. Jaguars
Week 14: Bears at Dolphins
Week 15: Bears at Bills
Week 16: Bears vs. Packers
Week 17: Bears vs. Lions
Week 18: Bears at Vikings
Final Record Predictions
Alyssa: Chicago has the most-difficult schedule this season (by last year’s results), which includes stints against the AFC East and NFC South, as well as facing their division foes twice. While every game is winnable, there are some difficult stretches and no shortage of prime-time and holiday games. With that in mind, my way-too-early predictions (the most optimistic I’ll be at any point this year) has the Bears finishing the 2026 NFL season at 12-5, where they sweep the Packers and split with the Lions and Vikings, and it could very well be enough to win another division title. Prediction: 11-6
Brendan: I hate being the pessimist of the group and while I still think the Bears are poised for a good season, this isn’t going to be easy. A big issue with Ben Johnson’s squad a year ago was their inability to start fast. That was seen both in the schedule and individual games. I can see the Bears dropping their Week 1 game to Carolina and finishing the first quarter of the season with a .500 record before finding a groove. I need to see them get off to a fast start before believing it.
I am also not convinced the defense can replicate their turnover success and drastically improve the pass rush with minimal additions made. The Bears coaches put the emphasis on themselves to be better but will that translate to success in the regular season? All in all, I believe the Bears can rattle off four wins in five games to put themselves in prime playoff position by Thanksgiving. After that, there is only one game I feel truly confident that they will win. The Bears aren’t sneaking up on anyone this year and we’ve seen past teams fall flat when expectations are high. Earning a playoff berth would still be a successful season. Prediction: 10-7
Mike: The Bears have to improve on their 2025 season, and if that means just winning one more game than last season, then it will be a success. There are going to be more questions than answers early in the season, especially on the defensive side of the field, but with a weaker schedule compared to the second half of the year, Chicago has to take advantage. One big key for the team as a whole would be what they’re capable of in the third season with Caleb Williams at quarterback, hopefully not needing to have several comebacks in the fourth quarter. The Cardiac Bears were fun, but the success is not sustainable for the long haul, and they have to show a more complete team from start to finish this season. Prediction: 12-5
Vinnie: The Chicago Bears, here in May, look like one of the best teams in the NFC going into the 2026 season. With Caleb Williams entering year three of his pro development and Ben Johnson’s second year, the team should take yet another step. Beating the Green Bay Packers twice will be tough, and a couple of great teams are on the schedule, but the Bears should be able to stay in the game with just about anyone. An improvement within the division should help their overall record heading into the postseason. A 13-4 record could have them in the mix for the number one seed. Prediction: 13-4
Preston: Chicago had a taste of a more competitive schedule in the back half of the 2025 regular season, and at 11-6, having won the NFC North, Chicago is now awarded a first-place schedule. The NFL did a good job of spreading out the schedule. There are tough spots in the middle of the season, then again in the back half. Carolina to begin the season is no game to look past. A team that, under Dave Canales, has only grown each season he’s been at the helm made the playoffs last season and nearly knocked off the Los Angeles Rams. The NFC North will be as competitive as it was last season, and for a second straight season, Chicago will host the Minnesota Vikings in their home-opener. The Bears vs. Eagles rematch happened early in the season on MNF, and the Bears vs. Packers gets an early week 5 matchup and then a Christmas Day matchup. With seven primetime games this year, the NFL wanted to put Chicago in front of the whole world.
But the biggest part of the whole schedule will be the Bears’ final eight games of the season. With a bye week halfway through in week 10, opponents such as the Saints, Detroit twice, who Chicago didn’t beat last season, hosting a Jaguars team coming off their best season with Trevor Lawrence, a trip to Buffalo, and then Packers, Vikings, and Lions to end the schedule will be tough, which is why I have the Bears at 11-6 once again.
They will go 3-3 against the NFC North, split with the Super Bowl teams, and go 4-4 against playoff teams from a season ago. It almost feels like there is more pressure this season for Chicago to get back to the playoffs and defend their NFC North title. Chicago hasn’t had back-to-back winning seasons since 2005-2006, and it won’t be easy to get it done. Chicago has the NFL’s toughest schedule at .550, and it seems that since 2016, it hasn’t favored those teams. Only three teams since 2016 have made the playoffs, having the NFL’s toughest schedule, and only one, the 2016 Atlanta Falcons, won a playoff game. Prediction: 11-6
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Predicting every Chicago Bears game, final record for 2026 season
Reporting by Alyssa Barbieri, Brendan Sugrue, Mike Pendleton, Vincent Parise and Preston Zbroszczyk , Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
