Bears game-by-game, record predictions for 2023 season
The Chicago Bears unveiled their 2023 schedule last week, which features a favorable slate for a team looking to rebound after a three-win season.
In addition to facing their NFC North opponents twice, the Bears will face the AFC West and NFC South, which includes home games against the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons, as well as away games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints.
With Chicago finishing fourth in the NFC North, they’ll also face the same-place finisher in the NFC East and NFC West. With that additional 17th game, they’ll face the AFC North same-place finisher, Cleveland Browns, on the road.
Our Bears Wire staff are sharing their game-by-game and record predictions for the 2023 season.
Week 1: Bears vs. Packers
USA Today Sports
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Win
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Win
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 2: Bears at Buccaneers
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Win
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 3: Bears at Chiefs
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Alyssa Barbieri: Loss
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Loss
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Loss
Week 4: Bears vs. Broncos
Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Alyssa Barbieri: Loss
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Loss
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Loss
Week 5: Bears at Commanders (Thursday Night Football)
Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Win
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Win
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 6: Bears vs. Vikings
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Win
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Win
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 7: Bears vs. Raiders
AP Photo/Rick Scuteri
Alyssa Barbieri: Loss
Brendan Sugrue: Win
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 8: Bears at Chargers (Sunday Night Football)
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Alyssa Barbieri: Loss
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Loss
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Loss
Week 9: Bears at Saints
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Loss
Nate Atkins: Win
Jarrett Bailey: Loss
Week 10: Bears vs. Panthers (Thursday Night Football)
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Win
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Win
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 11: Bears at Lions
Nic Antaya/Getty Images
Alyssa Barbieri: Loss
Brendan Sugrue: Win
Ryan Fedrau: Loss
Nate Atkins: Win
Jarrett Bailey: Loss
Week 12: Bears at Vikings (Monday Night Football)
Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Alyssa Barbieri: Loss
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Loss
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Loss
Week 13: BYE WEEK
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Week 14: Bears vs. Lions
Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Loss
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 15: Bears at Browns
Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Alyssa Barbieri: Loss
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Loss
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Loss
Week 16: Bears vs. Cardinals
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Win
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 17: Bears vs. Falcons
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Alyssa Barbieri: Win
Brendan Sugrue: Win
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Win
Jarrett Bailey: Win
Week 18: Bears at Packers
Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Alyssa Barbieri: Loss
Brendan Sugrue: Loss
Ryan Fedrau: Win
Nate Atkins: Loss
Jarrett Bailey: Loss
2023 record prediction
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Alyssa Barbieri: 9-8
Given we’re still several months from the start of the season, there’s no reason not to be a little optimistic at this point. For the Bears, finishing 9-8 would certainly be respectable after finishing with the worst record in the league in 2022. Overall, Chicago has a favorable schedule. Not that it’s worth much given the turnover in the league. Aside from some juggernauts, including the Chiefs and Chargers, there are plenty of winnable games on this schedule for the Bears. We’ll see how things shake out with a Chicago team with plenty to prove heading into 2023.
Brendan Sugrue: 8-9
Things may look bleak to start the year with the Bears going 1-4, but they’ll rally to climb back to .500 by the middle of the season. Their schedule is favorable on paper, minus a few matchups. For example, having to travel to Tampa Bay in September could mean dealing with scorching temperatures. But given they will have plenty of rest throughout the season, the Bears will make huge strides from their record a year ago and be in the playoff hunt all the way until the end. Whether it’s enough to actually make the postseason is another question.
Ryan Fedrau: 8-9
8-9 is a great place to start, given the chance that a few games can go their way and they’re in the playoffs. I believe the Bears are a year away from being a playoff team. This is their year where they mold everything and next season, they put everything together and become a contender. Still, a few games bounce their way and they can be a wildcard team in 2023. If that happens, I wouldn’t be surprised.
Nate Atkins: 8-9
Possibly optimistic, but if Justin Fields makes the next step as a passer, I could see the Bears winning eight games. The Bears split the divisional matchups and won the games they should. Maybe with a couple of lucky breaks, they could win ten games by upsetting Kansas City and Los Angeles or winning both matchups with a divisional opponent.
Jarrett Bailey: 9-8
I really like what Ryan Poles is building in Chicago. They recognized their needs going into the offseason and addressed them. The linebacker position is dull? The Bears added two of the best off-ball linebackers available in Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. Right tackle a weak spot? Chicago drafts Darnell Wright. With the NFC North changing tides with the Packers transitioning out of Aaron Rodgers, and the Vikings saying goodbye to a lot of veterans, the Bears pounce and make a big leap in 2023 and earn the final wild-card spot.
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