12 Thoughts On The Bears' 2018 Schedule

The NFL's annual official schedule release is one of the most anticipated days on the NFL calendar. Fans get to see when and where their favorite team will be playing later that fall, and annual road trip planning commences. The opponents have been known since the 2017 NFL season ended, but yesterday evening, we got official word on dates and times of each game that will be played in 2018. The Chicago Bears released this epic video to accompany the NFL schedule release. Watch it below:

Awesome, right? Though I'm not really feeling that new logo ... Anyway, here's the Bears' 2018 schedule in non-video format:

Here are my thoughts on the 2018 schedule: 1. Chicago opens up at Green Bay on NBC's Sunday Night Football. What an introduction for head coach Matt Nagy, huh? The first game of his head coaching, and Bears, career will be at Lambeau Field, in prime time, while the rival Packers celebrate their 100th anniversary. There are rumors that the Packers requested to host the Bears for their home opener, and if that's the case, the NFL clearly obliged. As I'm sure Nagy already knows, if there is a single game that must be won on this schedule in Bears fans' minds, it's this one. Welcome to Chicago, Coach. You get to unveil your new operation to all of America to kick things off. 2. The NFL must think the Bears are a pretty sexy team if they follow up Week 1 by having Nagy's home opener in prime time, too. The Bears will host the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football in Week 2. The Seahawks aren't the same team they once were, but they are still dangerous. The Bears better get their EDGE situation settled before having to take on the pesky Russell Wilson on the Soldier Field turf. 3. The Mike Glennon Revenge Game in Arizona comes in Week 3 ... Aren't you excited? Even a little bit? 4. I'm not a fan of having the BYE week so early. The Bears have had good fortune in recent years with their off week falling near or at mid-season. But this year, the BYE falls on Week 5, which isn't ideal, especially for a team that has struggled to stay healthy. This will be something to watch. 5. The Dowell Loggains Revenge Game will be fun! But in reality, the Dolphins just aren't a very good team. I think the Bears will have a pretty easy time in Miami. Keep in mind, they'll also be beating another former OC on that trip: Dolphins' head coach Adam Gase. 6. In Week 7, Tom Brady makes his (I'm assuming) final visit to Soldier Field. The Patriots have blown the Bears out in each of their last two meetings: 36-7 at Soldier Field in 2010, and 51-21 at Gillette Stadium in 2014. Remember, the Kansas City Chiefs blew out the Patriots on Opening Night last year in New England, and it was Nagy's offense that shot up and down the field with ease. This is certainly not the same chess match (or rematch, I should say), but it'll be fun to watch regardless. 7. It's a bit odd that Chicago is playing the entire AFC East portion of their schedule consecutively. I can't recall the last time the Bears, or any team, played one of their "other division" slates all in a row. Interesting quirk. 8. The Bears will have a chance to make some noise in the NFC North with three straight division games. The Bears went winless in the division last season, and need to turn that around to have any shot at respectability in Year 1 under Nagy. Hosting the Lions and Vikings in Week 10 and 11 respectively is a chance to get started on the right foot. Then, they make their way to Detroit for Thanksgiving to close the three consecutive weeks of NFC North action. Speaking of Detroit on Thanksgiving Day ... 9. ... That will be fun. The Lions host the "morning" Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field annually, and this year, they take on the Bears. The last time Chicago played on Thanksgiving, they ruined Brett Favre Night at Lambeau Field, shocking the Packers in prime time in 2015. That was Jay Cutler's first and only win in Green Bay. The last time the Bears played the Lions on Thanksgiving, they got crushed 38-17. On a side note -- Allen Robinson is from Detroit. So this will be a fun homecoming for him. 10. Chicago closes the season with a brutal four game stretch: At home against the Rams and Packers, and then on the road against San Francisco and Minnesota. Even if the Bears are "in the hunt" after Week 13, their hopes could be killed during this stretch. For what it's worth, I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears won two of these four games. But I think it's too early for them to close the deal. 11. Depending on how the Bears are doing throughout the season, keep on eye on the following games to potentially be flexed into prime time:  vs. Patriots, vs. Vikings, vs. Rams, vs. Packers, at 49ers (if they're playing well), and at Vikings. 12. For what it's worth, my way-too-early season prediction: