5 takeaways from Bears’ 2024 schedule, including key stretch, unusual division slate originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Caleb Williams and the Bears’ path in 2024 is set after the NFL released the schedule Wednesday.
The fast-improving Bears are slated to have three primetime games as well as standalone games on Thanksgiving and in London.
The Bears’ schedule came with a few notable quirks, including the placement of the NFC North games and the projected difficulty of the first 10 games versus the final seven.
Here are five key takeaways from the Bears’ 2024 schedule:
Late division slate
The Bears don’t play an NFC North foe until Week 11 when Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers visit Soldier Field in mid-November.
While each of the other NFC North teams gets two division games prior to Week 11, all six of the Bears’ division games come in the final eight. That includes a Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions in Detroit and a Monday night tilt with the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota in Week 15.
A backloaded division slate will allow the Bears to keep their NFC North title goals in front of them, even if they get off to a slow start.
However, that could also put a heavy burden on Williams and a young, relatively unproven roster to be healthy and peak against a rough finishing schedule that also includes a trip to San Francisco to face the 49ers.
Soft launch
Many expected the Caleb Wiliams era to start with a primetime show in Week 1, but the NFL opted to give the Bears and their rookie quarterback a less pressure-packed entrance.
The Bears will host second-year quarterback Will Levis and the Tennessee Titans in Week 1. The Titans are in the first year of a rebuilding project under new head coach Brian Callahan after the dismissal of Mike Vrabel in the offseason.
While the Titans added wide receiver Calvin Ridley and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed in the offseason, they are still expected to be among the NFL’s bottom-feeders in 2024.
The opener against the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/5-takeaways-bears-2024-schedule-193535731.html
Author : NBC Sports Chicago
Publish date : 2024-05-16 19:35:35
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