New Chicago Bears head
coach Matt Nagy, who takes over for underachieving John Fox (14-34 in Chicago),
inherits a team that finished last in the NFC North for four consecutive
seasons. The Bears haven't reached the playoffs since 2010, and while a
postseason berth may be too much to expect in Nagy's first year, Chicago's
offense received badly needed upgrades with the free-agent signings of wide
receiver Allen
Robinson and tight end Trey Burton.
The Bears' defense is the strength of the team, but the year hinges on the
continued development of quarterback Mitchell
Trubisky, who's surrounded by a better supporting cast, at least on
paper, in Year 2.
CHICAGO BEARS
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, at Green Bay
Packers, 8:20 p.m. ET
The Bears are a better team under Nagy but are not good
enough yet to knock off Green Bay on a special night at Lambeau Field.
Especially not in Aaron Rodgers'
first regular-season game back from injury. Record: 0-1
Week 2: Monday, Sept. 17, vs. Seattle
Seahawks, 8:15 p.m. ET
Seattle isn't the same caliber team after blowing up its
roster, but Russell
Wilson is dangerous for a Bears defense that still lacks enough
proven pass-rushers. Record: 0-2
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at Arizona
Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET
Mike Glennon's
revenge? Not a chance. Record: 1-2
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, vs. Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET
The Bucs have destroyed the Bears recently in Tampa, but
shifting the scene back to Chicago greatly helps the home team. Jon Gruden was
still the Bucs' coach the last time they won at Soldier Field. Record: 2-2
Week 5: BYE
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, at Miami
Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET
Dowell Loggains' revenge? Not a chance. Record: 3-2
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, vs. New England
Patriots, 1 p.m. ET
The Bears come crashing back down to reality. Bad things
happen when the Bears face New England (except in Super Bowl XX, of course!).
The Pats have blown the Bears out in their last two meetings. Record: 3-3
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. New York Jets,
1 p.m. ET
Trubisky outduels Josh McCown,
or whichever rookie quarterback the Jets have in the starting lineup by Week
8. Record: 4-3
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, at Buffalo Bills,
1 p.m. ET
Bills Mafia is riding high after last year's surprise
playoff berth. The Bills seem to have turned a corner after years of
mismanagement. Record: 4-4
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, vs. Detroit Lions,
1 p.m. ET
The Bears steal their first -- and likely only -- division
game of 2018. Record: 5-4
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, vs. Minnesota
Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
Back to reality. It's Super Bowl or bust for the Vikings
with new quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The Bears are not at that level yet. Record: 5-5
Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 22, at Detroit Lions,
12:30 p.m. ET
The Bears find creative ways to lose at Ford Field. Chicago
hasn't won there since Lovie Smith's final season. Record: 5-6
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at New York
Giants, 1 p.m. ET
The Bears complete their sweep of New York. The Giants seem
stuck between rebuilding and thinking they can win. Record: 6-6
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, vs. Los Angeles
Rams, 1 p.m. ET
Sean McVay, Jared Goff and
the Rams' star-studded defense prove too much to handle. Record: 6-7
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, vs. Green Bay Packers,
1 p.m. ET
Chicago's last victory over Green Bay at Soldier Field
occurred in 2010. A healthy Rodgers is a dangerous thing for the entire NFC
North. Record: 6-8
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, at San Francisco
49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET
Robbie Gould's revenge, again? Maybe. But Trubisky --
barring injury -- figures to have a much better grasp on the offense this late
in the year. In an upset, Trubisky and Nagy outwit Jimmy
Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan for an unexpected and important
road victory. Record: 7-8
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Minnesota Vikings,
1 p.m. ET
The Bears haven't won a game at U.S. Bank Stadium. That
won't change in 2018. Record: 7-9
DETRIOT LIONS
It's a tough schedule early and somewhat difficult late, but
overall the Detroit Lions should
be pleased with this schedule. It has a couple of night games -- both at home
-- and the West Coast trips are at reasonable times during the year. Detroit
may have wanted to have them back-to-back to stay out west, but having them in
September and December is a reasonable consolation prize. But what happens in
Matt Patricia's first year with Detroit? Based on this very, very early
approximation -- more of the same of what Jim Caldwell did.
Week 1: Monday, Sept. 10, vs. New York Jets,
7:10 p.m. ET
Good news for Patricia. He'll open his Lions tenure on
national television against a team he might know better than any other in the
league. And he might get to have his defense tested against either a journeyman
(Josh McCown),
a guy who hasn't played much the last two years (Teddy
Bridgewater) or a rookie in his first-ever start. That bodes well
for Detroit. Record: 1-0.
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, at San Francisco
49ers, 4:05 p.m. ET
The Niners are an ascending team that showed promise at the
end of last season with Jimmy
Garoppolo as a quarterback, and West Coast trips haven't ended
well for the Lions in recent years. But Detroit has a benefit here. In theory,
Patricia has faced Garoppolo over and over and over again during Patriots
practices. So he knows what could confuse him. Without a huge book on what the
Lions will do defensively, that helps. Record: 2-0
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. New England
Patriots, 8:20 p.m. ET
Bill Belichick knows all about Patricia. He legitimately
taught him much of what he knows in the NFL. And Tom Brady is
still, as we can tell, Tom Brady. As long as he's playing and Belichick is
coaching, the Patriots are winning because New England just has more
talent. Record: 2-1
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, at Dallas
Cowboys, 1 p.m. ET
The Cowboys have questions at receiver but own one of the
top rushing attacks in the league. This should be a high-scoring game, but the
Lions have not shown they have a run defense that can handle the combination
of Ezekiel
Elliott and Dak Prescott. Record: 2-2
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, vs. Green Bay
Packers, 1 p.m. ET
This isn't Week 17 and isn't in prime time, so that's a good
thing for the Lions against Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers' offense isn't as impressive on paper as in years past and
Detroit's offense should be better than it was a year ago. That should be
enough for a split against Green Bay (yes, that's foreshadowing Week 17). Record: 3-2
Week 6: Bye
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, at Miami
Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET
Miami has questions at quarterback; no longer have Jarvis Landry on
offense or Ndamukong Suh on
defense. The Lions have more talent on both sides of the ball and a better
quarterback. That's enough. Record: 4-2.
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. Seattle
Seahawks, 1 p.m. ET
These are not the Seahawks of old. Michael
Bennett (Philadelphia), Richard
Sherman (San Francisco), Sheldon
Richardson (Minnesota) and even DeShawn Shead (Detroit)
are all gone from a once-dominant defense. That should make things easier
for Matthew
Stafford. Plus, traveling across the country is never easy. Record: 5-2
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, at Minnesota
Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
The Lions have had success in Minnesota the past two
seasons, but the Vikings got better in the offseason, are the best team in the
division and potentially the best in the NFC. Detroit, meanwhile, still might
not be able stop the run, particularly when there's a more consistent passing
attack to complement it. Record: 5-3
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, at Chicago Bears,
1 p.m. ET
The Bears should be better than last year and Detroit has
always had awkwardly tough games in Soldier Field (although recently they've
won). I'm going to throw a wrench into the schedule here and predict that on a
cold, blustery, snowy afternoon this ends in a rough, not-that-exciting 3-0
game. Record: 6-3
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, vs. Carolina
Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
Carolina beat Detroit up last year and, as always, this will
come down to Cam Newton.
If Newton is playing well, then the Panthers become increasingly difficult to deal
with. The team's multitude of tall offensive weapons won't help, either. Record: 6-4
Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 22, vs. Chicago Bears,
12:30 p.m. ET
The Lions have won five straight at home against Chicago. As
mentioned before, the Bears are better and have a bunch of nice offensive
pieces. But Detroit's offense, at home, in the midst of trying to stay in the
playoff picture, handles Chicago in a nationally televised spot. Record: 7-4
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, vs. Los Angeles
Rams, 1 p.m. ET
This is the nightmare game for Detroit -- seeing what could
have been with Aaron Donald and
Suh lined up next to each other in the middle of the Rams defense. Add to that
question marks on the Detroit offensive line (particularly on the interior) and
Stafford could be scrambling a lot in this one. Record: 7-5
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9 at Arizona
Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET
The Cardinals are in the middle of what appears to be a
rebuild. New quarterback, some new defensive pieces. Arizona might have figured
out some of it, but the Lions should be the better team and playing in a
comfortable, not-too-hot, environment. Record: 8-5
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, at Buffalo Bills,
1 p.m. ET
No idea what to make of this Bills team at this point. But a
cold-weather game -- and it'll be cold in Buffalo -- doesn't bode well for a
team that will still need to throw the ball a bunch to win. This game might be
the difference between a wild-card berth and not. Record: 8-6
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, vs. Minnesota Vikings,
1 p.m. ET
Minnesota is the better team, but the Lions -- knowing they
need to win to stay in the playoff race -- have their best offensive game of
the season and find ways to protect Stafford against a defense that has given
the Lions issues. Record: 9-6
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, at Green Bay Packers,
1 p.m. ET
The Lions have had recent success in Green Bay, winning two
of the last three seasons at Lambeau. This is going to be a cold-weather game,
though, and there could be a bunch on the line for both teams. And if there's
one thing that happens in late-season games against the Packers in games that
matter for Detroit, it's that Green Bay wins. So expect more of the same as
long as Rodgers is healthy. Record: 9-7
GREEN BAY PACKERS
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay
Packers were off to a stellar start last season at 4-1
before Aaron Rodgers broke
his collarbone. They have the chance to start fast again with three of the
first four at home, including a pair of NFC North games. Here are game-by-game
predictions for the 2018 season:
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9 vs. Chicago Bears,
8:20 p.m. ET
There’s no better opponent for the start of the Packers’
100th season than the rival Bears. With last season’s sweep, the Packers
took the lead in the all-time series for the first time since 1933. Their lead
will grow. Record: 1-0
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16 vs. Minnesota
Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
The Packers caught a break getting the defending NFC North
champs at home early in the year, when they might still be adjusting to Kirk Cousins.
And you can bet Aaron Rodgers will want this one even more considering the
Vikings broke his collarbone last year. Record: 2-0
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23 at Washington, 1 pm. ET
Kirk Cousins one week, his old team the next week. Mitch
Trubisky, Cousins and Alex Smith are
a solid trio of quarterbacks to start the season against but not a murderer’s
row by any means. Record: 3-0.
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30 vs. Buffalo Bills,
1 p.m. ET
Micah Hyde left
the Packers in free agency last offseason to sign with the Bills and made the
Pro Bowl. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s secondary remains a big question mark.
However, like in most games, the difference in this one will be the
quarterbacks. Record: 4-0
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7 at Detroit Lions,
1 p.m. ET
The Packers had nothing to play for in last year’s
regular-season finale at Detroit. This game could keep a long winning streak
going. Record: 5-0
Week 6: Monday, Oct. 15 vs. San Francisco
49ers, 7:15 p.m. ET
The 49ers didn’t lose last season after they made Jimmy
Garoppolo their starting quarterback. They could be on a
massive winning streak dating back to last season if that continues. Either
way, it ends here. Record: 6-0
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28 at Los Angeles
Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET
Were the Rams for real last year? It sure seems that
way. Record: 6-1
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4 at New England
Patriots, 8:20 p.m. ET
This could be the final meeting between Rodgers and Tom Brady –
barring a Super Bowl matchup or Brady playing another four years. Rodgers won a
fantastic battle in 2014, but Brady should get revenge after the Packers have
the unenviable task of traveling from one coast to the other. Record:
6-2
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11 vs. Miami
Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET
The only home game in November should end the mini-losing
streak unless they’re so worn out from two tough road games. Record:
7-2
Week 11: Thursday, Nov. 15 at Seattle
Seahawks, 8:20 p.m. ET
Seattle is perhaps the toughest place to play in a normal
week. Try doing it on a short week for a Thursday night game. Record:
7-3
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25 at Minnesota Vikings, 8:20
p.m. ET
The Packers haven’t won in Minneapolis since U.S. Bank
Stadium opened in 2016. Their third trip won’t be any different, and it will
mean back-to-back losses for the second time in five weeks. Record:
7-4
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2 vs. Arizona
Cardinals, 1 p.m. ET
An early winter could make this game even more difficult for
the warm-weather Cardinals. Record: 8-4
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9 vs. Atlanta
Falcons, 1 p.m. ET
The Packers have lost three straight to the Falcons – all in
Atlanta – including in the playoffs. A change of venue won’t mean a change in
result. Record: 8-5
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16 at Chicago, 1 p.m. ET
A win at Soldier Field has been all but a sure thing of
late. The Packers will make it 10 out of the last 11 in the Windy City. Record:
9-5
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23 at New York Jets,
1 p.m. ET
Who knows who will be playing quarterback for the Jets by
this point, but it’s safe to say it won’t be pretty. Record: 10-5
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30 vs. Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. ET
This is the third straight season these two teams will meet
in the season finale. The Packers might need this one for playoff
possibilities, whether it’s a berth or a bye. Record: 11-5
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
The Minnesota
Vikings were among the winners in free agency. Now it’s time to
put their reworked roster to the test. After a 13-3 season that ended in the
NFC Championship Game, Minnesota has high hopes to reach Super Bowl LIII in
Atlanta, but the Vikings will have to get through several tough road stretches
and face five playoff teams.
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, vs. San Francisco
49ers, 1 p.m. ET
The 49ers come to town after winning their final five games
in 2017 with Jimmy
Garoppolo at quarterback. Minnesota’s defense looks to continue
its dominance at home when it faces former teammate Jerick
McKinnon (San Francisco’s new bell-cow running back) after
allowing 12.5 points per game at U.S. Bank Stadium last season. San Francisco
has gotten better under Kyle Shanahan’s direction, as has Minnesota after a
blockbuster offseason during which it signed quarterback Kirk Cousins. Record: 1-0
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, at Green Bay
Packers, 1 p.m. ET
Minnesota opens division play early this season, and
against Aaron Rodgers,
whom the Vikings last saw Oct. 15, when Anthony Barr's
hit broke the quarterback's collarbone. Mike Zimmer’s defense has a tough test
at Lambeau against a Packers team that looks a lot different with Jordy Nelson gone
and Jimmy Graham and Wilkerson
new to Green Bay. Record: 1-1
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, vs. Buffalo Bills,
1 p.m. ET
With Tyrod Taylor out
and AJ McCarron in
at quarterback for Buffalo, Minnesota should have no trouble handling a Bills
team that ranked 29th in total offense last season. Record: 2-1
Week 4: Thursday, Sept. 27, at Los Angeles
Rams, 8:20 p.m. ET
On a short week, Minnesota travels to La-La Land to
face Jared Goff and
the Rams’ dynamic offense while getting a taste of Arnold Donald, Ndamukong Suhand
an equally flashy secondary. The Vikings won’t have as easy of a time
dismantling the Rams as they did last season. Record: 2-2
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, at Philadelphia
Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET
A couple of added days of rest and time to prepare for the
team that knocked Minnesota out of Super Bowl contention is what the Vikings
need after their second early road loss. New offensive coordinator John
DeFilippo gets to scheme up the Vikings against the defense he faced every day
in practice for two years. Record: 3-2
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, vs. Arizona
Cardinals, 1 p.m. ET
Is that you, Sam Bradford?
The Vikings could face their former quarterback in Week 6 in a game that might
be the last one for Cardinals receiver Larry
Fitzgerald in his home state before he calls it quits after an
illustrious career. Record: 4-2
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21 at New York Jets,
1 p.m. ET
This game will be emotional for Zimmer if Teddy
Bridgewater remains on New York's roster after training camp.
The Vikings came away victorious the last time they faced the Jets (an overtime
win in 2014) and will do so again four years later when their loaded defensive
line, featuring former Jet Sheldon
Richardson, stifles New York’s offense. Record: 5-2
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 28, vs. New Orleans
Saints, 8:20 p.m. ET
Let’s put the over/under on the number of times the
Minneapolis Miracle is featured on highlight shows leading into this game at
150. Drew Brees and
the Saints come back to U.S. Bank Stadium for a third time in just over a year,
and this time they're victorious. Record: 5-3
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, vs. Detroit Lions,
1 p.m. ET
The Lions handed the Vikings their only home loss last
season. Minnesota has beaten its NFC North foe more times than any opponent in
franchise history, and that trend continues in Week 9. Record: 6-3
Week 10: Bye
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, at Chicago Bears,
1 p.m. ET
Coming off their bye, the Vikings head to a place where they
flipped the script at Soldier Field last season. The Bears are better, but
they’re still a season or two away from being able to go toe-to-toe with the
Vikings. Record: 7-3
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, vs. Green Bay Packers,
8:20 p.m. ET
Rodgers returns to the place where his 2017 season was
derailed by injury. Now the Vikings know what this new-look Packers team is
like, and they’ll get the best of Green Bay the second time around in prime
time. Record: 8-3
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at New England
Patriots, 4:25 p.m. ET
Minnesota’s second matchup with a Super Bowl LII team is the
first time the Vikings will have played at Gillette Stadium during Zimmer’s
tenure. As long as the Patriots have Tom Brady at
quarterback, they’re not going to lose a lot at home. Record: 8-4
Week 14: Monday, Dec. 10, at Seattle
Seahawks, 8:15 p.m. ET
The Legion of Boom might be no more, but Seattle is still a
tough draw. Minnesota has lost four straight to the Seahawks and will play its
second West Coast game at night. Record: 8-5
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 16, vs. Miami
Dolphins, 1 p.m. ET
Coming off a 6-10 season, the Dolphins are still trying to
reach for the playoffs, while Minnesota is in prime position to get beyond the
NFC title game. Record: 9-5
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.
ET
The Vikings gutted out a win in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day
last year, but Matt Patricia’s defense gets the better of Cousins and
Minnesota’s receivers this time. Record: 9-6
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30 vs. Chicago Bears, 1
p.m. ET
Minnesota caps off its regular-season slate with another
victory against Chicago. The Vikings are back in the playoffs for a third time
under Zimmer. Record: 10-6
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