Many believe the Chicago Bears could not only be in the running for another NFC North division title but also win the Super Bowl. It's not going to be easy, though.
Last year, it was also not so simple for the Bears as they went 11-6 overall and 3-3 in the NFC North, but still came through with a division title and won a playoff game. Despite that success, 2026 will be a whole lot tougher, as the Bears will face stiffer competition than they did from one of their division rivals: the Detroit Lions.
Sharp Football Analysis shared the data behind the 2026 strength-of-schedule for each of the 32 NFL teams, based on projected win totals. The Lions have the easiest schedule in the NFL, while the Bears are ranked 27th. Detroit is projected to win 10.5 games, while Chicago is projected to win 9.5.
Bears might have a tough time winning the NFC North again
Chicago is going to have a rough time in 2026 as they have a tough schedule ahead of the Bears. The following Bears 2026 opponents either had winning records or made the postseason last season:
- Detroit Lions
- Minnesota Vikings
- Green Bay Packers
- Seattle Seahawks
- Philadelphia Eagles
- New England Patriots
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Buffalo Bills
- Carolina Panthers
That's 12 of the 17 games against teams that had winning records or made the playoffs in 2025. That is about as brutal of a schedule as it gets for the Bears.
Detroit is getting a massive advantage that will help set them up for a playoff appearance and, most likely, an NFC North title. The Bears, in the end, are going to be set up much better come the playoffs since they are playing the best of the best throughout the season.
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If the Lions want to celebrate the idea of easily winning the division, they can have it. Bears fans have their sights on something bigger and better than that: the Lombardi Trophy.
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