5 takeaways following the Bears’ 2022 schedule release

The 2022 NFL schedule was released on Thursday and fans are already making their plans to see their favorite NFL team in action this fall. Dates are circled, matchups are being dissected, and win/loss predictions are coming out in full force.

For the Chicago Bears, their schedule has a number of quirks that could be seen as advantages or disadvantages. For example, the team doesn’t play a game in the pacific or mountain time zone, but they also face two 2021 playoff teams to start the season.

While there’s seemingly an unlimited amount of takeaways from this year’s schedule, I narrowed mine down to five and how they might impact the Bears’ season.

An 0-2 start seems likely

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It’s true the Bears have one of the more easier schedules on paper as their opponent’s collective winning percentage is .471, tied for 24th in the league. But they have a difficult start to begin the 2022 season. They face two playoff teams in back-to-back weeks with the San Francicso 49ers at home in Week 1, followed by the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 on prime time.

The Bears were beaten down by both teams last season and could be staring down the dreaded 0-2 start. It’s a dubious record that puts team’s playoff hopes in serious jeopardy before the calendar even turns to October. According to National Football Post, 118 teams have started 0-2 prior to the 2021 season, dating back to 2007. Just 12 made the playoffs. Even with last year’s extra week and the additional playoff spot, no 0-2 teams made it to the postseason.

If the Bears want to increase their odds of playing postseason football, they’re going to have to defeat one of last year’s playoff teams right off the bat.

Another prime-time game in Green Bay is unfair to the Bears

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I don’t have any issue with putting the Bears in prime time against the Green Bay Packers. It’s the league’s most recognized rivalry and always draws a crowd when it’s broadcast to a national audience. But when the prime time seems to always take place in Green Bay, that seems like an unfair competitive advantage.

The Bears and Packers have played in prime time at least once every season dating back to 2005, totaling 18 games including the upcoming tilt on Sunday Night Football in Week 2 this year. Of those 18 games, all but four have taken place at Lambeau Field. In fact, just one Bears-Packers prime-time game has taken place at Soldier Field since 2011, which was the special 2019 season opener to mark the 100th anniversary of the Bears and the NFL.

It’s great the NFL continues to highlight such a historic rivalry, even if it usually means the Bears are losing. But to have so many of those prime-time games take place in Green Bay and rarely in Chicago is a problem and it swings momentum towards the Packers. How many times do we need to see those tacky cheesehead hats in the stands with national commentators eating it up? All I’m asking is for the NFL to literally even the playing field. Perhaps that will come if/when the Bears have a new stadium to call home.

The NFL made the smart play by front-loading the prime-time games

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Speaking of prime time, it should come as no surprise that the Bears were slotted for three national games in 2022, despite the fact there’s not as much buzz as previous seasons. After the Bears take on the Packers on Sunday Night Football in Week 2, they return to the national spotlight in Weeks 6 and 7, taking on the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football, followed by visiting the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football.

Their prime-time schedule ends before the calendar turns to November, which is a smart play by the league. They want to showcase the Bears, who of course play in one of the largest markets in the country, but don’t want to risk airing meaningless games when their season could be over in a hurry. Take advantage of the fact they won’t be completely out of the playoff race yet and put them on prime time.

Essentially, the NFL is saying they like the audience that the Bears usually draw, but don’t believe they will be competitive in the latter half of the season. Maybe head coach Matt Eberflus will prove them wrong and have them in contention for not only a playoff spot, but to be flexed into a prime-time spot late in the year as well.

Having a late by week is not great for this team

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While fans are usually looking for the prime time and home games on the schedule, players are looking for the bye weeks. They’re essential for NFL teams trying to make it through a rigorous season and the league schedules them anytime beginning Week 6 through Week 14. For the Bears, they’ll have to wait until that last week to see any rest and that might be an issue for a team with a new coaching staff.

Ever since Eberflus was announced as the team’s newest head coach earlier this year, the consistent message has been the team is going to practice and play extremely hard. It’s likely going to be significantly different from the Matt Nagy era and players could be in for a culture shock. Not getting a bye week until late in the season might an issue as players adapt to a new philosophy and style.

Usually, late bye weeks are great as teams can get into a rhythm earlier in the season and use that week to rest up before a final playoff push. But the Bears likely won’t be in that situation and having a bye earlier in the year might be more beneficial given the team’s current state. We’ll see how Eberflus and the team navigate the season and what shape their in come Week 14.

We're in for a heavy dose of "Bear Weather"

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There’s a vocal group of Bears fans that truly believe in the notion of “Bear Weather.” It’s the belief that the cold and wintry weather that hits Chicago in December gives the Bears a competitive advantage when playing at Soldier Field.

While there’s arguments on both sides that won’t be made here, fans who believe in Bear Weather will be happy to know that the team plays four games at home in December and January. Whether or not the cold plays a factor in a win or loss is another question.

Unfortunately, the majority of the Bears’ opponents during that stretch all play in cold-weather cities with open stadiums. The Minnesota Vikings are the only exception, meaning Bear Weather could truly be meaningless. But for fans who enjoy the atmosphere, it might be one of the final few years they’ll have to experience a Bears home game in the elements. Chances are if/when a new stadium is built, there won’t be many more chilling games at home.

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