Breaking Down The Bears 2022 Schedule
June 9, 2022, 10:04 AM CDT
The Chicago Bears schedule was released last month. Today, I will break down every game on the schedule and some main headlines to watch for in those games. This is not a prediction article, that will come out more towards the start of the season. This will be long, so let's not waste any more time and let's get into it.
Preseason Week 1; Bears vs Chiefs:
Top Headline: Matt Nagy Returns To Soldier Field
Preseason headlines aren't much, except for this one. Matt Nagy, our old Head Coach who became widely hated by the fanbase by the end of his tenure, was rehired by the Chiefs as QB Coach this past offseason. I can assure you there will probably be some boos when fans see him, and the TV broadcast will definitely have plenty of occasions where Nagy is put on focus.
Preseason Week 2; Bears @ Seahawks:
Top Headline: Revenge For Week 16?
This is basically the only storyline, whether or not the Seahawks can beat us and avenge their Week 16 loss to us last season that eliminated them from playoff contention. No Nick Foles and no Damiere Byrd for us, so we need fringe players to step up.
Preseason Week 3; Bears @ Browns:
Top Headline: Which Surprises Can Lock Down Roster Spots?
This year, we will definitely have plenty of surprises make the final roster. But who makes the roster will come down to the final day. We could see a random UDFA shine and make the roster. We could see a highly touted player lose a spot. It will be important to show out in preseason for these players, because Ryan Poles isn't afraid to cut anyone loose.
Week 1; Bears vs 49ers:
Top Headline: Justin Fields vs Trey Lance, Round 1
There is a good shot that Justin Fields and Trey Lance could become the biggest QB rivalry in football in a few years, like Brady v Manning. Both have high upside if they reach their potentials, and both come from teams that are on the rise. The Bears and Niners played last year (a game I was at), but Trey Lance didn't play in the game as it was all Jimmy Garoppolo. This year, barring Trey Lance being absolutely atrocious in the summer, Fields and Lance will face off in the first match of what could be a great rivalry at Soldier Field.
Week 2; Bears @ Packers (Sunday Night Football):
Top Headline: Can The Bears Finally Beat The Packers On Sunday Night?
Let's be real, the Bears NEVER beat Green Bay on Sunday Night Football. The closest we've come recently was in 2018. The last time we beat them on NBC was Thanksgiving 2015, but that wasn't Sunday. The rivals up north have beaten us in every game since 2019, with the last time we beat them coming in Week 15 of 2018. This time, we have Matt Eberflus. I think this game will be closer than people think, the question is though, can we shock the world and take down the Pack?
Week 3; Bears vs Texans:
Top Headline: Can The Bears Spoil Another Lovie Smith Homecoming?
The Bears fired Lovie Smith in 2012. He became Head Coach of the Buccaneers after that, and faced us twice. Both times we beat him, once at Soldier Field, and once in Tampa. Both times we were coached by Marc Trestman too. Matt Eberflus is surely better than Trestman. Lovie hasn't coached in the NFL in a while, with his most recent HC gig being at Illinois. Now, he returns to Chicago with a very weak Texans team. Can we spoil his second homecoming? Well, it is probably going to be us favored in this one, I think we probably win here if we don't beat the Niners or Packers.
Week 4; Bears @ Giants:
Top Headline: Can The Bears Keep Their Win Streak Against The Giants Going?
This will be the fifth straight season the Bears will have played the Giants. Five straight years. They've won the last three. The first of the so far four straight years of games was in 2018, when we lost in one of the best NFL games of the season with Chase Daniel at QB. The game went into overtime and was exciting, but we couldn't pull it off. From 2019 to this past year, the Bears have faced the Giants at Soldier Field and won all three. This year, we return to the Big Apple for the first time since that game in 2018. Eberflus will look to lead the Bears to their fourth straight win against the Giants weak roster, and hopefully avenge that 2018 loss.
Week 5; Bears @ Vikings:
Top Headline: Can Bears "Upset" The Overrated Vikings?
Yep, I'm saying it now. The Minnesota Vikings are going to be overrated this year. Just like they are every year. Every year I hear that they will win the Super Bowl, just for them to disappoint every year. This year though, I am not hearing that as much. They are still being a little overrated, but they won’t be as good as people think. The Bears lost both against Minnesota last season, including the last game of the season. Here, we travel to Minnesota before Thanksgiving for the first time in a long time. The Vikings will no doubt be favorites, but the Bears should have a good chance at squeezing one out here. Or at the very least, they will be competitive.
Week 6; Bears vs Commanders (Thursday Night Football):
Top Headline: Can Bears Win First Game Against Newly Renamed Commanders?
For the first time since 2019, the last season they were known as the Redskins, the Bears will take on the newly renamed Washington Commanders on Primetime. Funny enough, the game is carried only on Amazon Prime, so you should get that before this matchup if you want to watch it. Justin Fields will take on Carson Wentz, in a game the Bears should be favored in. This may be the only one of our prime games we will take a win in, but of course, you can’t always say for certain that a win will happen.
Week 7; Bears @ Patriots (Monday Night Football):
Top Headline: Was Fields The Right Pick, Or Should The Bears Have Gone With Mac Jones
I’m pretty sure I’ve expressed before how I think Fields was the right pick over Mac Jones, even with Jones somehow being a Pro Bowler in his rookie year. This will be our chance to prove that we got the pick right. Mainstream media has been hyping up Mac Jones and the Patriots, while somewhat turning a blind eye to Fields and the Bears. Here is our chance to flip the narrative, and show the media that golden child Mac Jones may be overrated after all, and Fields is the better QB.
Week 8; Bears @ Cowboys:
Top Headline: Eberflus Makes Return To Dallas
Matt Eberflus was with the Cowboys organization from 2011-2017. He was the linebackers coach the entire time, and spent the final few years as the passing game coordinator as well as being LB coach. This year, he will be returning to Dallas as Head Coach for the first time, looking to secure the Bears a key midseason win.
Week 9; Bears vs Dolphins:
Top Headline: Can Bears Break Dolphins Curse?
Some people may not even realize that the Bears are cursed when it comes to Miami/the Dolphins. But when you look a little into it, you will see my point. The only team that beat the 1985 Bears to keep us from going undefeated? The Dolphins, in Miami. In 2006, when we made the Super Bowl, guess where the game was hosted? That’s right, in Miami. In 2018, coming out of the bye with the possibility of snatching a win to elevate us to 4-1 on the year, guess who beat us? That’s right, the Dolphins in Miami. This year, it's time we bring Miami a curse to Chicago as we look to get a win against Tua and Tyreek.
Week 10; Bears vs Lions:
Top Headline: Can Justin Fields Continue Strong Start Against Lions?
Last year, Justin Fields showed signs of his full potential against the Lions in Week 4 at Soldier Field. Now unfortunately due to injury, he was unable to participate in the Thanksgiving contest last season. But he had a very strong start against a rebuilding Lions squad, and this year he will look to continue that start and build on it.
Week 11; Bears @ Falcons:
Top Headline: Without Nick Foles Magic, Bears Look To Beat Falcons On The Road
The last time we played the Falcons was when we took them on in Atlanta on Week 3, 2020. The Falcons jumped to a 16-point lead before Nick Foles replaced Mitch Trubisky to steer us to an unlikely comeback. Now, Foles is gone, he is with the Colts. It will be up to Justin Fields to create some magic of his own as we look to take down the rebuilding Falcons in Atlanta.
Week 12; Bears @ Jets:
Top Headline: Which Rebuilding Team With 2nd Year QBs Will Come Out On Top?
Both of these teams selected highly touted QBs early in the 2021 Draft, with the Jets drafting Zach Wilson with the 2nd pick of the draft that year. The Bears, well we know what happened. Both sides are in the midst of a rebuild, and we will see which team can come out on top.
Week 13; Bears vs Packers:
Top Headline: Can Bears Get Revenge For “I Still Own You” Incident?
Yup, we are here again. The incident from last year that still haunts many Bears fans. Others have gotten over it and realized it could be fuel in the fire for this Bears team, as many of them may still be pissed off at what Rodgers said. The Bears will fight to get a win here, even if they have virtually no shot at making the postseason at this point. They want to send a message to Aaron Rodgers and prove he will no longer walk right over us.
Week 14; Bye
Week 15; Bears vs Eagles:
Top Headline: Eagles Return To Chicago For First Time Since The 2018 Wild Card Game
Oh boy, the stadium will be tense for this matchup. We all know what happened in that 2018 Wild Card game, the last time the Eagles visited the Bears in Chicago. We have some scores to settle, this time we have a competent kicker. Hopefully, the offense actually shows up in this one, and we can give a slight bit of closure to that failed 2018 playoff campaign. Otherwise, we will have to live with Eagles fans shoving this down our throat for another year.
Week 16; Bears vs Bills (Christmas Eve):
Top Headline: Can Bears Pull Off Shock Upset Of Heavy Favorite Bills?
I don’t think we will win this game. Barring Josh Allen getting injured or falling off a cliff, the Bears will likely give the Bills an early Christmas dinner during this contest. I have the Bills as my Super Bowl team, and this could be the game where they clinch their division over the Patriots if all goes according to plan. But hey, miracles have happened before. Maybe Flus can lead us to an improbable win to keep a sliver of playoff hope alive, or maybe we will shock everyone and clinch the division with this game. You never know.
Week 17; Bears @ Lions:
Top Headline: Can Bears Solidify The Lions As Worst In The Division?
Realistically, the Bears will likely finish 3rd in the division this year. A transition year at this point, don’t expect much out of this team. What I can expect out of this game specifically, is the Bears to bury the Lions in their rightful last place position in the division. If we finish below the Lions, everything about this season was a failure. However, that shouldn’t happen and we should hopefully cruise to a comfortable win in this game.
Week 18; Bears vs Vikings:
Top Headline: Can Bears Play Spoiler To Vikings Playoff Hopes?
In Week 18, it is possible the Vikings will need a win to make the postseason. This is where the Bears come in. Even if they had been eliminated, who doesn’t like ending a division rival's chances at glory? I certainly do, and especially if the Bears are still in contention and it's a winner take all game. It’s potentially our last chance this season to get glimpses of our bright future, and how we could be contending and maintaining success soon.
Justin Fields in the MNF game against the Vikings last year
Could David Montgomery Be On The Move Soon?
October 19, 2022, 10:07 PM CDT
Recently, much discussion has popped up along the Bears fans community of whether or not David Montgomery has been benched. This comes after Matt Eberflus said that they would move forward with the "hot hand" at running back instead of the alternating series they have been doing. Following this, Khalil Herbert was made available to the media, something only starters do. This caused many people to think Monty has been benched, and with the trade deadline looming and him being on an expiring deal, plenty of people think Monty is entering his final two weeks as a Bear. Now me personally, I see this different than others. This season, there have been times where Herbert has been hot and Monty has been cold, yet Monty is put in over Herbert, and vice versa. So they will move towards sticking with the guy who has most of the momentum at a particular point. While this could be trying to transition Herbert into being the RB1, I don't think they should push Monty out the door. He was voted the 98th best player in the NFL by his peers for a reason. What I personally think they should do is use Herbert on early downs as he is quicker and accelerates faster, but Monty is still a workhorse and can be used on 3rd Downs and pass snaps, as he is way better in the pass game than Herbert. So do I think we should push Monty out of Chicago? No, this is a unique opportunity to effectively use two RB1s in one system. Could he be out the door however? That I think is possible, but not super likely.
Should the Bears move RB David Montgomery, or should we extend him?
Updated NFL Playoff Predictions
December 11, 2022, 9:30 PM CST
With the Bears on bye week, I decided that it was time to post my updated playoff predictions. In my preseason predictions, I said that I thought the Bills winning the Super Bowl over the Eagles would happen. It's almost the same now, but I have made some changes to my bracket. So, lets jump right in.
AFC
Wild Card:
(2) Chiefs defeat (7) Chargers
(3) Ravens defeat (6) Dolphins
(5) Bengals defeat (4) Titans
(1) Bills - Bye Week
The Chargers have an easy schedule to close out the year, facing the Titans, Colts, Rams, and Broncos after tonight's game against the Dolphins (which they are currently winning). However, their reward for making the playoffs is playing the Chiefs, and they will keep it a one score game throughout the first three quarters, but the Chiefs will pull away in the fourth. The Ravens will get their revenge on the Dolphins in another high-scoring shootout which would be the game of the Wild Card round. The Bengals will travel to Tennessee and knock off the Titans once again to keep their dreams of repeating alive.
Divisional:
(1) Bills defeat (5) Bengals
(3) Ravens defeat (2) Chiefs
The Bills will hand the Bengals a loss in this round, as they finally look like the team that will win the whole thing. The Ravens will knock off Buffalo's nemesis, Kansas City, in the divisional, finally getting them over the hump of not being able to beat good teams in the playoffs with Lamar Jackson.
Conference Title:
(1) Bills defeat (3) Ravens
The Ravens run comes to an end, as the Bills finally reach the Super Bowl. It's something that's been a matter of when, not if the past few years. And this year, it will finally happen. The Ravens just won't have the firepower to beat Buffalo, despite the constant threat of this being Lamar's last game as a Raven looming over their heads. Buffalo will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
NFC
Wild Card:
(2) 49ers defeat (7) Lions
(6) Commanders defeat (3) Vikings
(5) Cowboys defeat (4) Panthers
(1) Eagles - Bye Week
Many of you are probably shocked on two, maybe three selections on this list. First, lets start from the top. The Eagles win today and the Vikings loss essentially guarantees that Philadelphia will be the one seed, as Philly would have to lose at least 3 of their final 4 games in order for Minnesota to top the NFC. But I believe the 49ers will end up leapfrogging the Vikings, and sit at the two seed in the playoffs. The Lions are flying high right now, and with their schedule it's not hard to envision them making the playoffs. But, the Niners will destroy them. Then, I'll say the Commanders take the 6 seed after beating the Giants next week. I'll do one better and say they beat the Vikings. Minnesota has 10 wins, but somehow has a negative point differential. That's not going to last in the playoffs, and Taylor Heinicke will lead Washington to an upset win in Minnesota. Now for the shocking pick. Dallas isn't super shocking to see here, but Carolina? Here me out. The Panthers now control their own destiny with Tampa's loss today. They've been playing better under Steve Wilks, and they are currently winners of 3 out of their last 4 games. They have the Steelers, Lions, Bucs, and Saints left. Tampa is likely going to lose next week, which means that game on New Years Day will decide the division. And yes, I'm going with the upset here. The Panthers make the playoffs, but quickly get blown out by Dallas.
Divisional:
(6) Commanders defeat (1) Eagles
(2) 49ers defeat (5) Cowboys
Another major upset here, with Washington upsetting two teams in a row. The Commanders already stunned Philly once at Lincoln Financial, so why not do it again. Oh and by the way, Chase Young is now with them. If they make it this far, they can take Philly down. The Niners will also beat the Cowboys, Jimmy G or not. Dallas will once again lose in the divisional round.
Conference Title:
(2) 49ers defeat (6) Commanders
Washington's cinderella run comes to an end in the NFC Championship Game, as the 49ers reach the Super Bowl again thanks to Brock Purdy. They looked dominant even with Mr. Irrelevant at QB. If the Eagles are out at this point, they should be able to beat Taylor Heinicke. Props to Washington if this happens though, from 1-4 to NFC Title Game. They could be a serious threat in 2023 if they make the right moves in the offseason.
Super Bowl
(AFC) Bills defeat (NFC) 49ers
The Bills don't lose their fifth Super Bowl, instead they win their first. The Niners will have a shot, but ultimately the Deja Vu of 2019 will come back to haunt them as the Bills win by two scores or more in this one. Sean McDermott and Josh Allen finally lift the Lombardi trophy, and the 2022 season will come to a conclusion as the league prepares for how they will stop the 2023 Bears.
The Commanders are my dark horse/cinderella team this year
Bears Mock Offseason #1
December 30, 2022, 4:51 PM CST
A few days ago, I posted my first mock offseason on my Instagram, so man of you have already seen it. For those that don't, or those coming from my Insta, stick around because I'll explain my choices in more detail right here. This is already going to be a pretty long article, so lets get right into it.
Resignings:
LB Nicholas Morrow - 2 years, $7.7 million
RB David Montgomery - 3 years, $24 million
WR N’Keal Harry - 1 year, $3 million
WR Dante Pettis - 1 year, $1.5 million
ST/DB DeAndre Houston-Carson - 1 year, $1.7 million
LS Pat Scales - 1 year, $1.2 million
LB Matt Adams - 1 year, $1.3 million
FB Khari Blasingame - 1 year, $1 million
DB Josh Blackwell - 2 years, $4 million
RB Darrynton Evans - 1 year, $900k
I feel like we will bring back more people than some might expect. Morrow has played well enough to be brought back. Monty has a lot of debate, but he's got skills no other back on the team has, so I would bring him back. Especially since he wants to be a Bear. N'Keal is a guy I want back because I feel we haven't used him properly yet and he's still got a lot left to prove. Pettis is a good route runner and a decent enough punt returner, bringing him back as WR5 would be something I'd be fine with. DHC and Pat Scales are both essentially required bring backs on year to year deals. DHC can pop up with some good defensive plays when his number is called. Matt Adams has been good enough to be solid rotation next year. Blasingame has been a decent enough fullback. Blackwell has really impressed me, and should definitely be brought back as he's been a true hidden gem on this team. Evans can be a solid third or fourth back for us as well.
Notable Walks:
WR Byron Pringle
OT Riley Reiff
DE Angelo Blackson
OG Michael Schofield
LB Joe Thomas
Cuts:
OG Cody Whitehair - Saves $6 Million
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad - Saves $4 Million
RB Trestan Ebner - Saves $775k
Decided to loop these two together, as it's just players we are letting go of. Pringle hasn't shown enough offensively to earn a new contract close to the one he's currently on. Reiff is older and hasn't been great, we should look to get a new RT next year. Angelo Blackson has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff and has been one of our worst graded players this year. Schofield is in a similar situation as Reiff, he's not a long term starter. And for Joe Thomas, it was just between him and Adams, and I went with Adams because of his familiarity with Flus. I could see him being brought back though. As for the cuts, Whitehair's better days are behind him. If he returns, I won't be surprised. But we could look for better options. Muhammad has not lived up to his contract, and with some offseason additions, he may not have a spot on this team come next year. And Ebner has just not been good, he was supposed to be a decent pass catching back but Monty is clearly superior. We could look to other backs in the draft with a better skillset.
Signings:
DT Daron Payne - 5 years, $100 million
DE Akiem Hicks - 2 years, $11 million
C Jason Kelce - 1 year, $15 million
EDGE Yannick Ngakoue - 4 years, $59 million
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster - 3 years, $30 million
TE Drew Sample - 1 year, $1.4 million
CB Thomas Graham - 1 year, $1.1 million
LB Azeez Al-Shaair - 3 years, $15.5 million
OG Trai Turner - 2 years, $5.4 million
OT Cameron Fleming - 1 year, $2.5 million
Extensions
WR Darnell Mooney - 4 Years, $55 Million
During free agency, I believe these could be the moves we see. If Payne hits free agency, we better jump on that and give him a bag. He can be our 3-Tech that is so important to this defensive scheme. He's dominant, and could be the first Bear since Khalil Mack to receive a $100 million contract. Akiem Hicks would be a great veteran to bring in, as he knows the fans and, when healthy, is very good at stopping the run. Kelce could retire after this year, but he could stick around in the league. If he doesn't go back to Philly, the Bears could call him up and see if he wants to be Justin Fields Center. Ngakoue has been an underrated pass rusher through his career, and the Bears could give him a bag after another great season. JuJu could be our slot receiver, and another reliable guy for Fields to throw to. This would give us three, arguably four (Kmet) main weapons for Fields to throw too. Sample would just be a third Tight End. Same with bringing back Thomas Graham, a potential depth addition. Al-Shaair has been a good linebacker for the Niners this year, and you could play him either on the edge or at an inside linebacker spot. Trai Turner has been a solid guard, and could be our left guard for a few years while we search for a long term guy. Same with Cameron Fleming, maybe he can be that guy while Alex Leatherwood still develops. Lastly, the Bears should get an extension completed with Darnell Mooney this offseason. Bringing him back for four years would be great.
Draft:
Pick 2: EDGE Will Anderson - Alabama
Pick 56: DT Siaki Ika - Baylor
Pick 65: TE Dalton Kincaid - Utah
Pick 101: C Olusegun Oluwatimi - Michigan
Pick 131: EDGE Will McDonald - Iowa State
Pick 133: OT Connor Galvin - Baylor
Pick 156: LB Jalen Graham - Purdue
Pick 197: RB Deuce Vaughn - Kansas State
Although Anderson may fit better in a 3-4 scheme, you have to find a way to get him into your defense in an impactful way. If you can't fit this man in your team, there's a problem. I also looked at him recently for my Instagram, and he will be my first prospect analysis of the year. So stay tuned for that. Jalen Carter would be the other option, but I just like Anderson better. Ika is the guy you can put next to Payne if you don't wind up with Carter. There could also be some WR options here, but I liked Ika here more than anyone else available at the time. Kincaid is a good Tight End for Utah, and can be the TE2 with Kmet. He's a good pass catcher as well, just look at the USC game on October 15th. Oluwatimi has been a fast riser on draft boards, and he could be the Center of the future after Jason Kelce's spell ends if we sign him. McDonald was the best player available when I reached here, and the next best guys were running backs and quarterbacks, something I thought we could wait on until later in the draft. Galvin could be a development project that becomes our future right tackle if Leatherwood doesn't pan out. Jalen Graham would be a depth linebacker that has the potential to turn into something. Lastly, Deuce Vaughn could be a fast, shifty running back that can make big plays at times despite his size. Something many had against him when he went to K-State, but proved everyone wrong. Kind of reminds me of Tarik Cohen a bit.
Offense:
QB Justin Fields
RB1 David Montgomery
RB2 Khalil Herbert
FB Khari Blasingame
WR1 Darnell Mooney
WR2 Chase Claypool
SLWR JuJu Smith-Schuster
TE1 Cole Kmet
TE2 Dalton Kincaid (R)
LT Braxton Jones
LG Trai Turner
C Jason Kelce
RG Teven Jenkins
RT Cameron Fleming
Offense Backups:
QB Trevor Siemian
RB3 Deuce Vaughn (R)
RB4 Darrynton Evans
WR4 N’Keal Harry
WR5 Dante Pettis
WR6 Velus Jones Jr
TE3 Drew Sample
OT Alex Leatherwood
OT/G Larry Borom
OG/C Lucas Patrick
C Olusegun Oluwatimi (R)
OG Ja'Tyre Carter
OT Connor Galvin (R)
Defense:
LDE Will Anderson Jr (R)
3T Daron Payne
DT Siaki Ika (R)
RDE Yannick Ngakoue
WLB Azeez Al-Shaair
MLB Jack Sanborn
SLB Nicholas Morrow
LCB Jaylon Johnson
RCB Kyler Gordon
SLCB Josh Blackwell
FS Eddie Jackson
SS Jaquan Brisker
Defense Backups:
DE Akiem Hicks
DT Justin Jones
DE Will McDonald IV (R)
OLB Trevis Gipson
OLB Dominique Robinson
ILB Matt Adams
ILB Jalen Graham (R)
DB DeAndre Houston-Carson
DB Jaylon Jones
DB Thomas Graham
DB Elijah Hicks
Special Teams:
K Cairo Santos
P Trenton Gill
LS Pat Scales
KR Velus Jones Jr
PR Dante Pettis
ST DeAndre Houston-Carson
The final roster could look like something you see above. All of the signings/draft selections I made end up as the final 53, although we could see some more guys brought back/brought in as camp bodies attempting to win a spot, someone like Equanimeous St. Brown comes to mind. Anyways, how well do you think this team would do next year? I could see this team being a 10 win squad, able to make the playoffs. How many wins could this team get and would they be Super Bowl contenders?
A revamped D-Line could start with a Daron Payne signing