The 2021 NFL Schedule was released Wednesday night as teams learned the date and TV times for their opponents. The Chicago Bears have four primetime games along with a Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions. With excitement building for the season with first-round quarterback Justin Fields potentially starting along with head coach Matt Nagy facing a make or break season, it is fun predict the outcomes and potential storylines of the 2021 season.

Week 1: Bears At Rams 7:20PM NBC

Many Bears fans were left scratching their heads as to why the team was picked to open the season on Sunday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams. With several higher-quality games scheduled for week 1, people questioned if the 8-8 Bears deserved to be in such a marquee spot. With Justin Fields unlikely to start, it will be Andy Dalton leading a Bears’ offense that hasn’t made any significant upgrades during the offseason.

The Bears will prove their detractors wrong when they beat the Rams in a tightly contested matchup. Chicago’s defense will hold newly-acquired Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in check as the Bears win a close game by the score of 23-20. Dalton will play ok in his Bears’ debut, and fans will be given hope and excitement to start the 2021 campaign.

So, officially: The first Sunday Night Football game of the season will be the Chicago Bears vs. the Los Angeles Rams at Sofi Stadium.

Matthew Stafford's first regular season game as a member of the #Rams will be in primetime against a team he's very familiar with.

— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) May 12, 2021

Week 3: Bears at Browns 12:00 PM FOX

The Bears will be 2-0 heading into this game after beating the Bengals in the team’s home opener. This will be an “invasion” game for the Bears as many fans will travel from Chicago to attend the game in Cleveland. With the White Sox playing a series against the Indians the same weekend, social media will be filled with posts from the pregame tailgate leading up to the game. This could be a similar situation to what was seen in 2012 when the Bears travel to Tennessee or 2018, when they played the Dolphins in Miami.

This game will be a high-scoring affair where the winning team will score late to win the game. Unfortunately, the winning team will be the Cleveland Browns as they have the more talented offense. Chicago fans will question defensive coordinator Sean Desai’s defensive game plan and overlook the more talented Browns’ offense. Some fans will call for Fields to start the next game against the Lions because Dalton failed to make a big play.

FYI to Chicago fans: #Bears and White Sox will both play in Cleveland same weekend, Bears at Browns Sunday afternoon, Sept. 26 and White Sox at Indians Sept. 24-26 (Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday afternoon).

— Larry Mayer (@LarryMayer) May 13, 2021

Week 5: Bears at Las Vegas Raiders 3:05PM FOX

Following a bounce-back victory against the Detroit Lions at home, the Bears will visit Las Vegas for the first time in franchise history. This has a chance to be a neutral site environment for the Bears, given the number of fans from across the country that could be enticed to attend the game. The main storyline heading into this game will be Khalil Mack playing his former team, while others will see how Matt Nagy’s offense stacks up against Raiders’ head coach Jon Gruden’s offense.

The Bears will lose another high-scoring affair as Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr throws a game-winning touchdown late in the game. Chicago’s defense has trouble defending the pass while fans criticize Mack for failing to register a sack against his former team. Fans will be upset with Nagy, as this could be a game where he neglects to run the ball with running back David Montgomery.

Most in-demand games based on average ticket price, via @VividSeats:

*Bucs at Patriots: $1,376
*Ravens at Raiders: $944
*Chiefs at Raiders: $823
*Eagles at Raiders: $673
*Bears at Raiders: $653
*Dolphins at Raiders: $603

… Safe to say road trips to Vegas will be popular.

— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) May 13, 2021

Week 7: Bears at Buccaneers 3:25pm CBS

Following an exciting upset victory over the rival Packers at home, Bears’ fans will be extremely hopeful for this matchup, believing that Chicago can beat the defending Super Bowl Champions on the road. Dalton’s decent play will have a good portion of fans believing that the offense will do enough while the defense holds Tom Brady in check.

Fans will be proven sharply wrong as the Buccaneers offense overpowers the Bears from the start of the game. Brady will exact his revenge for Tampa Bay’s loss to Chicago last season in which he lost count of how many downs the Buccaneers’ offense had. Dalton will perform adequately, but the big story will come as Justin Fields will make his NFL debut in the second half of the game, playing in garbage time with the game well-decided. A few good offensive drives by Chicago’s rookie quarterback will lead many fans to call for the rookie to replace Dalton as the starting quarterback.

Replays seems to show Tom Brady didn't know it was fourth down on the final throw. Bucs lose 20-19 to the Bears and fall to 3-2.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) October 9, 2020

Week 11: Ravens at Bears 12:00PM CBS

Following two victories against the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night, the Bears will host the Baltimore Ravens after their week 10 bye. The main storyline for the game and potentially of the season will Fields making his first start for the Bears. Taking on former MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson will make this game one of the most-watched games of week 11.

Fields will not play badly in his first start, but the Ravens defense will hold him in check as the Bears struggle to consistently move the ball on offense. Jackson’s mobility proves to be too much as the Ravens are in control for a significant amount of the game. Despite the loss, fans will view Fields’ first start as a success believing that the best is yet to come. Fans will also question Nagy’s game-planning for his rookie’s debut.

Week 12: Bears at Lions Thanksgiving 11:30 AM FOX

Four days after the Ravens’ loss, Fields will make his national debut on Thanksgivings against the Lions. The lead-up to the Thanksgiving game will be analysts over-analyzing the rookie’s debut against the Ravens and what he will need to improve in the game against the Lions. The other storyline will be the Bears’ history of playing on Thanksgiving and their ability to win following such a short turnaround.

Nagy will call an outstanding offensive game-plan for Fields as the rookie quarterback has a memorable performance in a blowout victory against the rebuilding Lions. Post-game Thanksgiving dinners across Chicago will be filled with talk of the rookie’s performance. Bear fans will have an extended weekend to celebrate Fields and that the Bears are 7-4 heading into December.

Week 14: Bears at Packers 7:20 PM NBC

Following a disappointing loss at home against the Arizona Cardinals, control of first place in the NFC North will be on the line when the Bears travel to Lambeau to take on the Green Bay Packers. The sole storyline will be the first meeting between Fields and Aaron Rodgers and how the two quarterbacks fare against one another. The Sunday Night Football crew will repeatedly highlight all the quarterbacks that have started for the Bears during Rodger’s tenure with the Packers.

The outcome will be similar to last season’s Sunday Night matchup in which the Packers won 41-25. Fields will play well, but the Bears offense will not be able to keep up with Rodgers and the Packers. Again, Desai’s defensive play-calling will be called into question, while fans will call for Nagy to be replaced due to his failure to beat the Packers.

Throwback to Sept. 13, 2009; when Aaron Rodgers led the Packers on a GW touchdown drive to defeat the Chicago Bears in primetime. #BearsWeek #GoPackGo

pic.twitter.com/yg5A16umex

— GBP Daily (@GBPdaily) December 10, 2019

Week 16: Bears at Seahawks 3:05 PM FOX

The Bears will head to Seattle after winning their eighth game of the season against the Minnesota Vikings at home on Monday Night. Their matchup against the Seahawks will have massive playoff implications for both teams as the Fields vs. Russell Wilson matchup will dominate all the pregame shows. With the Packers playing on Christmas against the Brown, there will be extensive pressure for the Bears to win this game.

Again the Bears will lose a high-scoring affair as Fields matches Wilson throw for throw, but a last-second field goal by Seattle will be the deciding factor. It will be a fun game as both offenses go back and forth in snowy and wet weather. With the Bears record at 8-8, all attention will be on Nagy and his coaching staff to see if the Bears can win their last two games to make the playoffs.

Chicago Bears HC Matt Nagy said on the Rich Eisen Show that they "definitely explored" about potentially trading for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

Nagy said that they are not going to rush quarterback Justin Fields and will take it step by step.

— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) May 7, 2021

Week 18: Bears at Vikings 12:00pm* FOX*

The Bears will enter the season finale against the Vikings with a chance to make it to the playoffs for the second consecutive season and third time in the last four seasons. Chicago will need to win and get help, similar to what transpired in 2020 for the team to make the playoffs. Nagy’s Bears coaching tenure will hinge on whether or not the team can make the playoffs.

Fields leads the Bears to a victory as they fight off a Vikings team trying to play the role of spoilers. Although the score is close for most of the game, Chicago takes control for good midway through the fourth quarter. Despite the win, the Bears do not make the playoffs as a Cardinals victory with them controlling a tie-breaker allows them to clinch the final NFC playoff spot.
Fields’ performance down the stretch enables him to pick up a few Offensive Rookie of the Year vote while the franchise begins the process of looking for a new head coach while general manager Ryan Pace is retained due to his successful 2021 draft class.