Chicago Bears 2011 Schedule: Key Questions for All 16 Games

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The Chicago Bears 2011 schedule is out, and from an initial glance it looks brutal. In just the first three games, Chicago has to play a reigning regular season champion, a one-year removed Super Bowl champion and the reigning Super Bowl champions!

The Bears finished the 2010 season with an 11-5 record and a NFC North title. There were highs (Devin Hester breaking the all-time return record) and there were lows (getting manhandled by the Patriots, 36-7, in a must-win home game), but what Chicago fan honestly thought they'd make it to the NFC Championship game?

That's just one of the questions in the minds of Chicago Bears fans as they eagerly await the start of the season, whenever it might be. Here are the rest.

Week 1: Chicago Bears vs. Atlanta Falcons (September 11)

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Will they even play this game? With the players locked out indefinitely, there's a strong chance that we will miss the start of the regular season. If that happens, non-division games early in the season will be the first ones to be cut.

Week 2: Chicago Bears at New Orleans Saints (September 18)

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The Saints have one of the highest-scoring teams in the NFL and enough offensive weapons to make the President jealous. Do the Bears have enough firepower to hang with them?

Week 3: Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers (September 25)

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The Bears played the Packers in the third week last season and escaped with a narrow 20-17 win after Green Bay was called for a team record 18 penalties. Will that happen again? Or will Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews keep the offense and defense, respectively, in order?

Week 4: Chicago Bears vs. Carolina Panthers (October 2)

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Will we see Cam Newton? The Panthers own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and by all accounts they have zeroed in on the Heisman Trophy winner and former Auburn star. Newton isn't NFL-ready, but Carolina has nothing to lose by seeing what he can do against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Week 5: Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions (October 10)

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Who's on Calvin Johnson? The Lions star wide receiver had a quiet game (four receptions, 45 yards) to open the 2010 season against Chicago, but he just missed scoring a game-winning touchdown to upset the Bears. Will Lovie Smith double, or even triple, team Johnson to deny him the ball? Will it work?  

Week 6: Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings (October 16)

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Who's at quarterback? With Brett Favre finally retired (hopefully), the Vikings are left with the three stooges at quarterback: Joe Webb, Patrick Ramsey and Rhett Bomar (plus whoever they pick up in the 2011 NFL Draft). None of them are good enough to deal with the Bears' blitz, so will Julius Peppers and Co. make someone cry? 

Week 7: Chicago Bears @ Tampa Bay Bucanneers (October 23 in London)

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Will the Bucs exchange their pads and helmets for soccer balls? The last time Tampa Bay played in London they got steamrolled by the New England Patriots, 56-0. They almost definitely would have been better off playing football instead of football. If they lose like that again, should they even be allowed back into America?

Week 8: Bye

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Will we have played a football game yet? Some NFL insiders think it'll take until about the midway point of the season for the two sides to finally come to an agreement. Could the Bears be spending their bye week getting ready for the first week of a shortened regular season?

Week 9: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (November 7)

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Will the Bears stop Michael Vick again? The Eagles quarterback was well on his way to an MVP season until he came to Soldier Field last November and threw his first interception of the season in a losing effort. Can the Chicago defense contain the dual threat, and can Jay Cutler throw for four touchdowns again? Ever?

Week 10: Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions (November 13)

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Will the Lions put up a fight? Detroit had a chance to win both of its games last season against the Bears, but couldn't quite seal the win (looking at you Calvin Johnson and Ndamukong Suh) and lost by a combined nine points. Will they have enough experience to topple their division rival? 

Week 11: Chicago Bears vs. San Diego Chargers (November 20)

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The Chargers are the ultimate trick-or-treat team. One week they're pounding the Indianapolis Colts, 36-14, and then the next week they get humiliated by the Oakland Raiders, 28-13. (Yes, that actually happened in consecutive games). Which San Diego team will show up to Soldier Field this time?

Week 12: Chicago Bears at Oakland Raiders (November 27)

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Can the Raiders win a game outside of their division? Oakland went 6-0 against their AFC West rivals last season but only won two games against the rest of the league (St. Louis and Seattle). The Raiders will have home-field advantage in this game, but can new head coach Hue Jackson get his team over the hump and into the playoff picture?

Also, what's for dinner? I'm getting hungry.

Week 13: Chicago Bears vs. Kansas City Chiefs (December 4)

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Are the Chiefs for real? They won a crappy division and then got spanked in the playoffs because Matt Cassell couldn't throw the ball. The Bears feast on one-dimensional teams and Kansas City certainly qualifies after finishing the 2010 regular season ranked first in the NFL in rushing and 30th in passing.

Week 14: Chicago Bears at Denver Broncos (December 11)

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Will Jay Cutler pee his pants in his return to Denver? Will he overdose on steroids and amphetamines? Will he give Tim Tebow a man hug? Will he play pantsless? Anything is possible when you put one of the most egotistical players in the NFL into one of the league's loudest stadiums.  

Week 15: Chicago Bears vs. Seattle Seahawks (December 18)

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Will the Seahawks become the Icehawks? Warm weather teams don't tend to do well once it starts snowing, and the ground at Soldier Field should be rock hard by this point in the season. Last time Seattle came to Chicago they got destroyed, 35-24, in the second round of the playoffs.

Week 16: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers (December 25)

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Who's been good and who's been naughty? This Christmas Day game will likely determine who walks away with the NFC North title, and these are two very mean and talented teams. Is Santa feeling green and yellow, or blue and orange?

Week 17: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings (January 1)

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Will it really be a happy new year? The Bears might need to win this game to clinch a playoff berth, while the Vikings might need to lose this game to guarantee a top-five selection in the 2012 NFL Draft. Will Adrian Peterson even play or will he be at Favre's ranch begging his former teammate to come back in 2012? Will Minnesota's stadium roof collapse again? Will the country even care?

Playoffs

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Playoffs? PLAYOFFS?! WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THERE BEING PLAYOFFS? We'd be lucky to even have a regular season! How about instead of the traditional format, we just play an All-Star game between the players and the owners? Winner gets $9 billion. I know Peyton Manning's in. What do you say, Jerry Jones?