Breakdown: The Bears might have the NFL's easiest schedule based on their opponents' 2008 records, 
but the NFL made up for it with a tough opening stretch and a total of five high-profile games on national television. (The entire schedule is here.)
Overall, the Bears will play four of their first six games on the road -- including prime-time dates at Green Bay (Sept. 13) and Atlanta (Oct. 18). Their home opener will come against the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 20.
If the Bears can hold their own during that stretch, a task of some difficulty as they break in new quarterback Jay Cutler, they'll have a nice payoff at the end of the season. Three of their four December games will be at Soldier Field, a decided advantage given Chicago's typical weather conditions in December. Included is a Monday night matchup against Minnesota (Dec. 28) that could decide the NFC North in the season's penultimate week.
Complaint department: The Bears will have a short week in mid-November when they travel to San Francisco for a Thursday night game (Nov. 12) against the 49ers, who will be coached by former Bears linebacker Mike Singletary. But it could be worse; at least Chicago will be playing at home the previous Sunday (Nov. 8 against St. Louis).
Ready for prime time: Each year, the NFL allows three teams to have six prime-time games. Everyone else is allowed no more than five. Already, the Bears have five. They could conceivably be flexed out of one, a Nov. 22 matchup against Philadelphia, but they could also be flexed into a maximum of one more. Cutler's arrival earlier this month has made the Bears a premier NFL attraction.
Chicago Bears regular-season schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 13 at Green Bay Packers 8:20 p.m.Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 PITTSBURGH STEELERS 4:15 p.m.
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27 at Seattle Seahawks 4:05 p.m.
Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4 DETROIT LIONS 1:00 p.m.
Week 5: BYE WEEK
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 18 at Atlanta Falcons 8:20 p.m.
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 25 at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 p.m.
Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1 CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00 p.m.
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 8 ARIZONA CARDINALS 1:00 p.m.
Week 10: Thursday, Nov. 12 at San Francisco 49ers 8:20 p.m.
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 22 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 8:20 p.m.
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 29 at Minnesota Vikings 1:00 p.m.
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 6 ST. LOUIS RAMS 1:00 p.m.
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 13 GREEN BAY PACKERS 1:00 p.m.
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 20 at Baltimore Ravens 1:00 p.m.
Week 16: Monday, Dec. 28 MINNESOTA VIKINGS 8:30 p.m. ESPN
Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 3 at Detroit Lions 1:00 p.m.
Sort comments by: Most Recent | First Posted
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Kevin Seifert
Seifert joined ESPN.com in 2008 after covering the Minnesota Vikings for the Minneapolis Star Tribune for eight years. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and daughter.