2025 Schedule/Opponents - Oh boy

[Bears4Ever_34]

Right now, the Bears have 3 likely scenarios to get in:
 

1-Beat GB + SF/DET = clinch division
2-Beat DET = clinch wildcard
3- Beat SF + SF beats SEA = clinch wildcard

The Packers game by itself doesn't guarantee anything other than allowing the Bears to clinch the division the following week.

The last two games are the most important for the tiebreaker, with DET being the most important due to them already having 6 losses. 

Beating just SF and getting in is possible, but they'll need help from SEA.

[BearFan PHX]

And if we end up winning the division and being the second seed, our first playoff game would be hosting GB.
If we end up as a wild card, our first playoff game would be at GB.
There are other scenarios, but like 90% of the outcomes are playing GB one way or another.

[Bears4Ever_34]

3 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

And if we end up winning the division and being the second seed, our first playoff game would be hosting GB.
If we end up as a wild card, our first playoff game would be at GB.
There are other scenarios, but like 90% of the outcomes are playing GB one way or another.

Yeah, it's either going to be GB or SF.

Getting the 1 seed would make it more likely they play the winner of TB/CAR vs PHI in the 2nd round, which would be awesome, but that's an uphill battle still.

[adam]

If 2-0 = #1 seed or #2 seed, 50/50.

If 1-1 = #2 seed, 100. 

If 0-2 = #7 seed or miss playoffs, 75/25. DET needs to win out

[Pixote]

4 minutes ago, adam said:

If 2-0 = #1 seed or #2 seed, 50/50.

If 1-1 = #2 seed, 100. 

If 0-2 = #7 seed or miss playoffs, 75/25. DET needs to win out

And we have arguably our two most challenging games of the season ahead of us.

 

[AZ54]

6 hours ago, Pixote said:

And we have arguably our two most challenging games of the season ahead of us.

 

No.  I think no game will be more challenging than getting the Green Bay monkey off our back.  This was as important a game as you can find in the regular season for making the playoffs plus the history between the two teams.   You can’t come out of this game and not know that you can play with any team in the NFL.  Pitt, Philly, GB, CLE (top D), GB.  We’ve been in the playoffs for weeks.  Now teams have to take us seriously.  

[Stinger226]

Beating the Packers was the most significant game of this year. We have had 3 playoff games, starting with Philly up to now. 

[Pixote]

2 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Beating the Packers was the most significant game of this year. We have had 3 playoff games, starting with Philly up to now. 

For any Bears fan, this victory was monumental. One I will never forget.

However, IMHO, San Francisco is a far more talented team than any team we have played this year, and who stands in the way of a potential #1 seed for the Bears. Detroit, despite their record, kicked our ass in the first meeting (we are vastly improved since then). I want revenge!

So, yes, I think the next two games could define the Bears as either a good team that missed the playoffs or one that won the NFCN, the #1 seed, and a chance to return to the Super Bowl.

[Bears4Ever_34]

58 minutes ago, Pixote said:

For any Bears fan, this victory was monumental. One I will never forget.

However, IMHO, San Francisco is a far more talented team than any team we have played this year, and who stands in the way of a potential #1 seed for the Bears. Detroit, despite their record, kicked our ass in the first meeting (we are vastly improved since then). I want revenge!

So, yes, I think the next two games could define the Bears as either a good team that missed the playoffs or one that won the NFCN, the #1 seed, and a chance to return to the Super Bowl.

SF's offense always scares me with Shanahan. Purdy eviscerated the Bears last year. The ball barely touched the ground. Obviously, the circumstances were different back then, but his accuracy and downfield throwing scares the heck out of me given how poor this defense has been in giving up explosives.

I don't think their defense is very good, though. They can't rush the passer at all. I expect this offense to move the ball and put up points in this game. I think it could come down to takeaways and time of possession. 

[Bears4Ever_34]

I just realized the Bears could also now clinch a playoff spot with one more Packers loss after last night's victory, and the Packers might have to start Malik Willis against the Ravens next week.

Also, opponents are winless the week after losing to the Bears this year. Something to keep in mind

[DABEARSDABOMB]

40 minutes ago, Bears4Ever_34 said:

I just realized the Bears could also now clinch a playoff spot with one more Packers loss after last night's victory, and the Packers might have to start Malik Willis against the Ravens next week.

Also, opponents are winless the week after losing to the Bears this year. Something to keep in mind

Let’s go 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

12 hours ago, adam said:

If 2-0 = #1 seed or #2 seed, 50/50.

If 1-1 = #2 seed, 100. 

If 0-2 = #7 seed or miss playoffs, 75/25. DET needs to win out

And the crazy thing is with 2 of these 3 scenarios the Bears will most likely be playing the Pack again. 

[adam]

12 hours ago, Pixote said:

And we have arguably our two most challenging games of the season ahead of us.

 

A lot of factors to consider. SF's defense is nowhere near what they were last year without Warner and Bosa. Bears will also be playing with 2 extra days of rest as SF is playing in IND on MNF. So they have a short week while also traveling home. So they have a really short week with Christmas in the middle. 

[adam]

11 minutes ago, Alaskan Grizzly said:

And the crazy thing is with 2 of these 3 scenarios the Bears will most likely be playing the Pack again. 

Yeah, it really seems like it is going to be GB @ CHI in 3 weeks. Have two teams met 3 times in 6 weeks before?

[Pixote]

Green Bay plays Baltimore next week (with Love?), which is certainly not an easy task, and then travels to Minnesota for the final week. The GBP vs MIN rivalry is strong, and you never know what will happen in divisional matchups.

Hell, it's possible GB tanks the remainder of the season. 

[adam]

On 5/1/2025 at 8:47 AM, adam said:

Revisiting the schedule, now post-draft.

Right off the bat, I will say the Bears split the division, but that could go plus or minus a win, so at worst 2-4, at best 4-2.

Home
DET - W
GB - W
MIN - W
DAL  - L (Really depends on which DAL team shows up, could go either way)
NYG - W (Feels like an easy win)
CLE - W (CLE has 5 QBs, and none are starter quality)
PIT - W (Defense good, offense bad)
NO - W (Feels like one of the easier games on the schedule)

7-1 at home

Away
DET - L
GB  - L
MIN  - L
PHI - L (Super Bowl champs)
WAS - W (should've beaten them with Flus)
BAL - L (Tough matchup)
CIN - W (Feels like a shootout in the making)
SF - L (This game could go either way, give the edge to SF right now)
LVR - W (Should be one of the easier road games)

3-6 on the road

10-7 record, with probably a +/-3, meaning 13-4 if EVERYTHING goes right, and 7-10 if everything goes wrong.

Bears already 1 win more than I thought, but also still have a chance at 13-4 (without EVERYTHING going right). 

[adam]

34 minutes ago, Pixote said:

Green Bay plays Baltimore next week (with Love?), which is certainly not an easy task, and then travels to Minnesota for the final week. The GBP vs MIN rivalry is strong, and you never know what will happen in divisional matchups.

Hell, it's possible GB tanks the remainder of the season. 

Yeah, and DET plays on Christmas Day in Minnesota, in 4 days, and they don't play until this afternoon. So Bears could clinch a playoff spot on Christmas and the Division next Saturday (GB loss) before the Bears play on SNF in SF. 

Also, SEA plays in CAR next Sunday at noon in CAR. If CAR somehow wins (they beat LAR), the Bears could take over as the #1 Seed with a win on SNF against SF. How wild would that be?