Bears Battle Pack On Christmas And Vikings On New Year's Day
CHICAGO (WBBM/CBS) -- In a year in which the Bears are scheduled to travel to London for their first-ever regular season game across the pond, the team opens at home against Atlanta, has four consecutive games vs. AFC West opponents and closes with division rivals Green Bay and Minnesota.
They then will travel to New Orleans in Week 2 and return home to host the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers in Week 3.
Former Bears linebacker and defensive coordinator Ron Rivera will bring in his Carolina Panthers for a visit in Week 4.
The Bears then play at Detroit on Monday, Oct. 10 on ESPN's "Monday Night Football," the first prime-time appearance for the Lions since Week 3 of the 2001 season. That game is followed by another prime-time appearance for the Bears as they will host Minnesota on Oct. 16 in NBC's national Sunday night broadcast.
That gives the team a home game before the Oct. 23 game vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at London's Wembley Stadium.
After the trip to England, the Bears are off on the weekend of Oct. 30. The Bears play the Philadelphia Eagles on "Monday Night Football" on Nov. 7. They then will host the Lions on Nov. 13 before a string of four straight games against the AFC West: vs. San Diego, at Oakland, vs. Kansas City and at Denver in Week 14, which will be quarterback Jay Cutler's first regular-season game there since the trade.
The Bears host Seattle in Week 15, then close out at Green Bay in an NBC prime-time Christmas game on Dec. 25 and then at Minnesota on Jan. 1.
The NFL's current labor dispute leaves football hanging in the balance. The league announced that if an agreement is not reached by Aug. 1, the game in London will be moved to Tampa and the Bucs' Raymond James Stadium.
Preseason Schedule
Aug. 7: at St. Louis Rams (Canton, Ohio), 7 p.m., NBC/WBBM 780
Aug. 13: BUFFALO BILLS, 7 p.m., Fox 32/WBBM 780
Aug. 22: at New York Giants, 7 p.m., ESPN/WBBM 780
Aug. 27: at Tennessee Titans, 7 p.m., Fox 32/WBBM 780
Sept. 1: CLEVELAND BROWNS, 7 p.m., Fox 32/WBBM 780
Regular Season Schedule
Week 1: Sept. 11, ATLANTA, Noon, Fox/WBBM 780
Week 2: Sept. 18, at New Orleans, Noon, Fox/WBBM 780
Week 3: Sept. 25, GREEN BAY, 3:15 p.m. Fox/WBBM 780
Week 4: Oct. 2, CAROLINA, Noon, Fox/WBBM 780
Week 5: Oct .10 at Detroit, 7:30 p.m., ESPN/WBBM 780
Week 6: Oct. 16 MINNESOTA, 7:20 p.m., NBC/WBBM 780
Week 7: Oct. 23 vs. Tampa Bay at London, Noon, Fox/WBBM 780
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Nov. 7 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m., ESPN/WBBM 780
Week 10: Nov. 13 DETROIT, Noon, Fox/WBBM 780
Week 11: Nov. 20 SAN DIEGO, 3:15 p.m., Fox/WBBM 780
Week 12: Nov. 27 at Oakland, 3:05 p.m., Fox/WBBM 780
Week 13: Dec. 4 KANSAS CITY, Noon, CBS/WBBM 780
Week 14: Dec. 11 at Denver, 3:05 p.m., Fox/WBBM 780
Week 15: Dec. 18 SEATTLE, Noon, Fox/WBBM 780
Week 16: Dec. 25 at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m., NBC/WBBM 780
Week 17: Jan. 1 at Minnesota, Noon, Fox/WBBM 780
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
