Windy City Gridiron (CHI) May 15, 2026

Ranking the Chicago Bears stand alone games in 2026

This transcript does not include audio timing.

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.

Takes mentioned in this episode

Green Bay Packers team · positive

“How can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix.”

How can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix.
Caleb Williams player · positive

“The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams.”

The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams.
Josh Allen player · positive

“Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome.”

Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome.
Chicago Bears team · positive

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026.
Buffalo Bills team · positive

“Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome.”

Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome.
Philadelphia Eagles team · negative

“The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season.”

The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a
Miami Dolphins team · negative

“but of all the games, this is the least compelling.”

All these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling.
Drake Maye player · positive

“the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft”

the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft
Jalen Hurts player · negative

“if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season.”

if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season.
New England Patriots team · positive

“I think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation.”

I think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation.
Detroit Lions team · negative

“The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club.”

The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers team · negative

“All these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling.”

All these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling.
A.J. Brown player · negative

“they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown”

they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown
Seattle Seahawks team · negative

“You might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me.”

You might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to m
Coby Bryant player · neutral

“it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited”

it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited
DJ Moore player · neutral

“Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.”

Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.
Mike Vrabel player · neutral

“no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation.”

no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation.
Sam Darnold player · neutral

“Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me.”

Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me.
Josh Allen player · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
Buffalo Bills team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
Chicago Bears team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
Detroit Lions team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
Green Bay Packers team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
Miami Dolphins team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
New England Patriots team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
Philadelphia Eagles team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
Seattle Seahawks team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers team · neutral

“The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.”

The Chicago Bears will be featured on plenty of national NFL broadcasts in 2026. The NFL believes in Ben Johnson, and they believe in Caleb Williams. We’ve always said how much the NFL loves the Chicago Bears and loves it when they are good. Unfortunately, it’s not something they’ve ever had the privilege of having consistently in the modern media landscape, at least not with a marketable quarterback.That’s changed, and the Bears have seven standalone games in primetime and on alternate days.Let’s take a look at those games and rank them worst to best.7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Home, Week 9, Sunday Night FootballAll these games are very good, as the NFL isn’t going to put the Bears against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football, but of all the games, this is the least compelling. The Bucs fell apart at the end of last season, and Todd Bowles looks like he might be on his last legs as the team’s head coach. The Bucs strike me as a middle-of-the-road team this season, and this one isn’t going to get the hype machine from the NFL media.6. Philadelphia Eagles at Home, Week 3, Monday Night FootballI think the top 5 get tricky to rank, but I am pretty confident that these two are the bottom of the seven. The Eagles will most likely be good, but they are another team that seems past their peak and will most likely trade AJ Brown, and if Jalen Hurts has another up-and-down season, the Eagles might be a team that only wins 8 or 9 games this season. The Bears, of course, were the team that derailed their season last year and exposed them for who they were.5. Seattle Seahawks on the road, Week 8, Monday Night FootballYou might all think I’m crazy for putting the defending Super Bowl champions this low in the rankings, but I’m a big fan of QB matchups, and Sam Darnold is a good QB, but he’s just not compelling to me. I love the idea of Ben Johnson’s offense against Mike Macdonald’s defense, and it’s a Coby Bryant revenge game if that gets you excited, but I think these other four games are just more interesting.4. Detroit Lions on the road, Week 12, ThanksgivingIf this were last season, with Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit, it would be higher on the list, but we’ve done that one already. The Bears didn’t have a lot of success against the Lions last year, so this will be Ben Johnson’s opportunity to get his first win against his old club. This will be a great game to kick off a loaded holiday slate, but it falls just short of the top three.3. Buffalo Bills on the road, Week 15, Saturday gameI considered long and hard to put this one at number two, but in the end, this one settles at number three for me. Josh Allen against Caleb Williams is awesome. With the game being in Buffalo in December in their new stadium, with a chance of snow, it could be cinematic on television. This is one everyone should circle because, by December, this could feature a battle of two top 5 quarterbacks in the league. Plus, it’s the DJ Moore revenge game.2. New England Patriots at home, Week 7, Thursday Night FootballI think most fans would have this lower in the rankings, but this is a matchup I love, and no, it has nothing to do with Mike Vrabel’s current situation. One, the Bears will always be cosmically tied to the Patriots thanks to 46-10 in Super Bowl XX. But beyond that, to me, this is a battle of the first and second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. I know they are in opposite conferences, so they won’t meet often, but I think the NFL would love the idea of Drake Maye and Caleb Williams both becoming top-five QBs coming out of the same draft, and being the big dogs of the league over the next decade. The first Maye vs Williams was a debacle; this one should be far more compelling.1. Green Bay Packers at home, Week 16, Christmas DayHow can it not be? The NFL’s oldest (and best) rivalry kicks off the NFL’s trio of games on Christmas Day, and it will be the Bears’ first appearance on Netflix. I think some fans are going to be annoyed that the NFL is going to hijack some families’ Christmases, but Soldier Field will be littered with Santa suits and posters of the Packers getting coal, and it should be absolutely fantastic theater. The Bears are back. The rivalry is back, and the NFL is putting it out there for the world to watch.