The Chicago Bears unveiled their 2026 schedule this week, which featured seven standalone games with five in prime time and two on holidays.
The Bears will play three consecutive prime-time games from Weeks 7-9, before a much-needed bye week, as well as facing division rivals the Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving) and Green Bay Packers (Christmas) during the holidays.
After last season’s emergence, when Chicago became the best fourth-quarter team and three of their games were flexed into the prime-time slate, the NFL made sure not to mess things up by putting Chicago in the national spotlight as often as possible. With that in mind, here are the most intriguing games on the Bears’ schedule in 2026:
Week 16: Bears vs. Packers (Christmas)
Last season, Ben Johnson got his two wins over Matt LaFleur, including a thrilling wild-card playoff win in their final meeting of the season. With the rivalry only growing and intensifying, the Christmas Day special in Soldier Field will be an iconic 215th meeting in the NFL’s oldest rivalry. Chicago had a 21-3 comeback in the first round of the playoffs last season and a come-from-behind win in Week 16, 22-16. As I mentioned, the rivalry is back. The two teams have more resentment toward one another than before and will take each other on in front of the world on Netflix on Christmas.
Week 12: Bears at Lions (Thanksgiving)
The tradition of the Bears playing the Lions on Thanksgiving continues as the two division foes will meet for the sixth Thanksgiving in the last 12 years. Ben Johnson, who departed from Detroit to take the Bears head coaching job, went 0-2 against the Lions last season. And despite the two losses, Chicago made the playoffs, and Detroit didn’t. Johnson has yet to beat the Lions in two tries since leaving, and in Week 2 last season in Detroit, Chicago lost 52-21. It left a sour taste in Johnson’s mouth, and with the ties, it’s added a back story to the NFC North rivalry that wasn’t there in the past. Thanksgiving on the noon slate is the Lions’ day. And if the Bears can come away with a win, it would be Johnson’s first against the team he once used to call plays for.
Week 8: Bears at Seahawks
Many thought this should have been the matchup on Wednesday, Sept. 9, as the reigning Super Bowl champions kick off the NFL season. Instead, it will be a rematch of Super Bowl 60. Chicago was a Caleb Williams overtime interception away from matching up the Bears against Seattle in the playoffs in the NFC championship game. It would have put Johnson and Williams’ offense on display against arguably the best defense in the NFL, but instead, the two teams will meet in Week 8 on Monday Night Football, where safety Coby Bryant will get to face his old team.
Week 15: Bears at Bills
This matchup has built a storyline behind it, and it will feature not only two of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league, Caleb Williams vs. Josh Allen, but also DJ Moore, who will match up against Chicago for the first time since being traded this offseason. The Bears will play the Bills in Buffalo in the new Highmark Stadium. The last time Chicago played in Buffalo, Nathan Peterman was the quarterback, and the Bears had two defensive touchdowns back in 2018.
Week 7: Patriots at Bears
It will be a battle of top quarterbacks from the 2024 draft class in this Thursday night showdown between the Bears and Patriots. Drake Maye has the 1-0 advantage over Williams from their 19-3 win in 2024, but this Week 7 prime-time meeting will be another game for Williams and the offense to show they are able to compete with a Super Bowl team.
Week 1: Bears at Panthers
It’s the Bears’ first game of the season, where fans are eager to watch their team take the field and see Caleb Williams and Year 2 of Johnson’s offense. Last season, Chicago blew a late lead against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, and now, against the reigning NFC South champions, it will be an immediate test for the Bears. Carolina will debut their new defensive line with Jaelen Phillips, and how will the Chicago left tackle position hold up? And against a top-10 offense line in the Panthers, how will the Bears’ defensive line show out?
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ranking the Chicago Bears’ most intriguing matchups in 2026
Reporting by Preston Zbroszczyk , Bears Wire / Bears Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
