The 2020 NFL schedule will be released Thursday night as the Chicago Bears will have dates and times for their opponents this year. Their opponents outside of their regular division rivals include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans, and Indianapolis Colts. Part of the excitement of the schedule release is seeing which teams are played when. The other added excitement is what games are played in primetime. Here are some bold predictions for the Bears 2020 schedule release:
Taking on Tennessee To Start It All:
Week 1: At Tennessee Titans Date: September 14th Time: 12PM
The Chicago Bears will open their 2020 campaign in Tennessee against the Titans. The matchup will feature a Bears defense against a Titans offense led by Derrick Henry, who carried the team to the AFC Championship game last season. The last time the Bears played the AFC South division back in 2016, the team opened the season on the road against the Houston Texans. In all likelihood, this will repeat itself, as the Titans are expected to compete for the playoffs in 2020.
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Home Opener Against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers:
Week 2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Date: Monday September 22nd Time: 7:15 PM
Chicago will host the new-look Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Soldier Field to open their home slate of the schedule in week two. It will be exciting matchup as many expect the Buccaneers with Tom Brady, to be the best offense in the NFL while others are predicting the Bears defense to be the best in the league also. The Bears have opened their home schedule in primetime in three of the last four seasons, and with expectations high for both teams, it makes perfect sense for the league to want to showcase these two teams early on.
Thanksgivings Dinner With the Dirty Birds:
Week 12: At Atlanta Falcons Date: Thursday November 26th Time: 7:15PM
For the last two seasons, both the Bears and Atlanta Falcons have played on Thanksgiving. Chicago has played the early game against Detroit while Atlanta has faced off against the New Orleans Saints. This season the Bears will travel to Atlanta to play the Falcons marking their first time playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Falcons have played on Thanksgiving night three times since the addition of the third game back in 2006. Other than the two traditional teams that host on Thanksgiving, the Bears are third in games played on Thanksgiving.
Christmas Day In Los Angeles:
Week 16 At Los Angeles Rams Date: Friday December 25th Time: 4:30PM
With Christmas Day falling on a Friday this year, there is a good chance the league will look to schedule one or two games for the day. The Rams will debut their new stadium this season, and the league will want to show it off as much as possible to build the football market in Los Angeles. A nationally televised game featuring the third and second-biggest television markets would be the best way to do it. The two teams have played each other in the last two seasons, with both games being played in primetime. With the third game on Christmas, it would make for special memories for fans of both teams.
Flipping the Script on the Season Finale:
Week 17: Minnesota Vikings Date: January 3rd Time:12:00PM
For the last four seasons, the Bears have traveled to Minnesota to play the Vikings in the season finale. When prior schedule releases have taken place, Chicago playing in Minnesota to end the season has been a foregone conclusion. The two teams will play each other again, to end the 2020 season, but this time around it will be the Vikings coming to play the Bears in Chicago. Since the league started having divisional games to end the season back in 2009, Minnesota has never played in Chicago to end the season.
