Chicago Bears Preview: 5 Games That Jump off the Schedule

The words of Roger Goodell rang out clear as a bell on that infamous July 25^th afternoon: “Football’s back!”

With the impending lockout officially over, the NFL season could once and for all begin to take shape. Teams and players are beginning to scramble and prepare for another grueling season of football

The lockout also put a crazy hiatus on free agency, with teams rushing to sign players as soon as the lock out ended. Many squads are looking tough and primed for the season, while others will rely on an original formula for success.

The Chicago Bears are looking to defend their NFC North title, and will do so in a division that looks as tough as ever, from top to bottom. They will also look to play just as well out of conference, and reach the playoffs once again.

Taking a look at their schedule, I will list five games that jump out and should definitely be considered as must-see matchups.

September 25th vs. Green Bay Packers, FOX

Fresh off a Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers come into Soldier field for the first time on September 25^th. This will be the first meeting these two divisional foes face off since the Packers ousted Da Bears from last year’s NFC Championship game, aka “Cutlergate."

As always, Packers vs. Bears games are heated based on their longstanding rivalry. This is certainly a must-see because this is the first tough matchup for Chicago, and they will be looking to steal an early-season win from their divisional counterparts and current champs.

October 10th @ Detroit Lions, ESPN

A new-look Detroit Lions team hosts Chicago on October 10^th, and a lot of hype is surrounding this Lions squad. Some pundits are expecting Detroit to end up with a better record than the Bears, so what better way to dispel these myths than under the bright lights of Monday Night Football.

One of the most dominate defensive line players in the game, Detroit’s Ndamukong Suh is looking lethal during preseason, and will form a dangerous duo with rookie Nick Fairly (who is heavily hyped). The shuffled offensive line of the Bears will need to be sharp for a full four quarters if they want to give Jay Cutler time to look up field.

October 23rd @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, London

The NFL has been active in pursuing a global fan base, and their annual International Series game has the Bears square off with the Tampa Bay Bucs. These games usually sell out and provide a great atmosphere for teams, so the Bears are looking to harness that energy and come out victorious against Tampa Bay.

Boasting a young and promising squad, Tampa Bay is a sleeper team this year and should not be taken lightly; Chicago should prepare hard for a team who is loaded on offense. Their defense is also on the rise, but Chicago’s defensive line will need to be active from the ends, specifically Julius Peppers, in order to terrorize quarterback Josh Freeman.

November 7th @ Philadelphia Eagles, ESPN

Another Monday night special for Chicago, the Philadelphia Eagles have Super Bowl ambitions after having an extremely busy and booming free agency. The most notable signing is prized corner Nnamdi Asomugha, but the Eagles plugged many holes within their roster to further solidify their title contentions.

This is going to be a HUGE game and should be extremely entertaining, but will Chicago’s defense be able to control the dynamic Mike Vick and can Jay Cutler and his offense penetrate Philly’s strong secondary?

At this point in the season many of Chicago’s defensive and offensive questions should be answered. 

January 1st @ Minnesota Vikings, FOX

Coming off a season full of distractions (Jen Sterger anyone?), Minnesota has made it a priority to forget the circus that was 2010. Yet with new quarterback Donovan McNabb at the helm, is the drama really gone?

The Bears had success getting after Brett Favre last year, and they hope to replicate that on New Year’s Day.

Minnesota’s defense has always been very good, and Adrian Peterson is considered the best back in the league. If Matt Forte can get sufficient blocking he should be able to run all over the Vikings, but with the Bears this is never a guarantee.