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Immediate Analysis of Chicago Bears 2017 Schedule

By Bill Zimmerman

Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks (96) reacts after sacking San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Akiem Hicks (96) reacts after sacking San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Chicago Bears 2017 schedule is out, here is our initial analysis to what lies ahead.

It could be another long season in Chicago. It’s hard to have a positive immediate reaction to what lies ahead when you look at the Chicago Bears 2017 schedule. The Bears schedule starts off very hard and steadily lightens as the season moves along, but you’d like to see that trend reversed so the team can get off to a good start. Unfortunately, that may not be the case.

Their September schedule is hard- very hard. The Bears could easily start off 0-4. Vic Fangio’s defense is going to get an immediate test against the defending NFC champions who are going to be looking for blood after blowing the Super Bowl. Despite that game being at Soldier Field, it’s hard to imagine the Bears offense being able to match Atlanta’s.

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The Bears follow that up with the “Glennon Bowl.” Mike Glennon heads to Tampa to face his old teammates. I’m sure Glennon will have that one circled as well as his immediate family, but I don’t think many other people will care (including the Bucs). If the game was in Chicago, maybe you could pick the Bears but this schedule screams 0-2.

After that, its home for the Steelers and a Thursday night match-up in Lambeau. Both these teams have Super Bowl aspirations; the Chicago Bears do not. This team easily could go 0-4 out of the gate.

The Bears will have some extra prep time to get ready for the Monday night match up with Minnesota and I think perhaps the Bears could steal this one at home. It would be really nice if they could because a road game in Baltimore, the Carolina Panthers at home and the Saints on the road won’t be easy.

I think the Panthers return to their 2015 form and will be a solid playoff team, if the 2016 version of the Panthers returns, that could be win number two. The Saints will definitely be beatable this year and perhaps the Bears could pick up their third win heading into the bye, but odds are the Bears could drop that one and fall to 1-7.

Here’s the good news, after the Packers game on November 12, the schedule lets up. Detroit at home won’t be easy but certainly won’t be impossible and I think the Bears could get some revenge on Alshon Jeffery and the Eagles in late November.

Chicago’s December schedule consists of home games with the 49ers and Browns and three road games against middling Cincinnati, Detroit, and Minnesota. That looks like a 3-2 month and a 5-11 or 6-10 record to me.

For the extremely optimistic Bears fan, Atlanta is still shell-shocked from the Super Bowl loss and the Bears take them out and Glennon’s return to Tampa is a positive one. The Bears take out the Vikings, Panthers and Saints in October and head to the bye 5-3. After the bye, if they take care of their home games alone that’s 9 wins. If they can win two of those road games, they finish 11-5.

For the realistic, yet positive Bears fan, the Bears go 1-3 in September and 2-2 in October. They win three out of four at home after the bye and with another win or two on the road, they finish 7-9 or 8-8.

For the pessimistic Bears fan, it’s not impossible that the Bears start off 0-9. If that’s the case, the wheels will have fallen off. John Fox will have been fired or will be fired at season’s end and the Bears will focus on playing rookies. If that happens, the Bears could be 2-14 and be looking Sam Darnold right in the eye in the 2018 draft with the first overall pick.

Realistically, it would be good to just see Chicago taking positive steps in the right direction again. 5-11 or 6-10 is fine with me if the right players develop and the Bears trend in the right direction again in 2017.

Chicago Bears 2017 Schedule

September 10 Atlanta Falcons
September 17 AT Tampa Bay Buccaneers
September 24 Pittsburgh Steelers
September 28 AT Green Bay Packers (Thursday Night)
October 9 Minnesota Vikings (Monday Night)
October 15 AT Baltimore Ravens
October 22 Carolina Panthers
October 29 AT New Orleans Saints
November 5 BYE
November 12 Green Bay Packers
November 19 Detroit Lions
November 26 AT Philadelphia Eagles
December 3 San Francisco 49ers
December 10 AT Cincinnati Bengals
December 16 AT Detroit Lions (Saturday)
December 24 Cleveland Browns
December 31 AT Minnesota Vikings

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