Schrock’s game-by-game predictions for Bears’ 2024 season following NFL schedule release

Schrock’s game-by-game predictions for Bears’ 2024 season following NFL schedule release originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago

The long wait finally ended on Wednesday when the NFL officially released the entire schedule for the 2024 season, including the path Caleb Williams will go have to travel in a highly anticipated debut season.

The Bears are expected to face the third-easiest schedule, but the NFL season never goes according to plan. Some teams always surprise, and some expected candidates fail for one reason or another.

Williams and the Bears have cross-division matchups with the AFC South and NFC West. They will also see the New England Patriots, Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers, who finished last in their respective divisions in 2023.

We have opponents and cadence now, which means it’s time for some very early predictions for the Bears’ 2024 season.

Here are my game-by-game predictions for the Bears 2024 season following the release of the schedule. (Editor’s note: The author is not responsible for predictions made in mid-May.)

The Caleb Williams era will get a soft launch with Will Levis, Brian Callahan and the rebuilding Tennessee Titans visiting Soldier Field to open the season.

The Titans signed Calvin Ridley in the offseason and replaced Derrick Henry with Tony Pollard. But they were also demoted at head coach by firing Mike Vrabel. Callahan could end up being a good head coach, but the Bears will take him and a young, unproven quarterback out.

Tennessee’s defense ranked 17th last season in total defense and 18th in pass defense. But the Titans added cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobie Awuzie as well as linebacker Kenneth Murray this offseason, so their defense should have more strength in 2024.

That said, the Bears need to open the season with a win against a team that is expected to be among the worst in the NFL in 2024.

Williams throws for 290 yards and two touchdowns, and Kyler Gordon defeats Levis in a no-sweat victory.

Bears 24, Titans 13

The NFL world at large got its first look at Williams on the big stage in Week 2 against one of the quarterbacks Chicago could have drafted No. 1 a year earlier in C.J. Stroud.

Texas coach DeMeco Ryans is a great defensive mind and will have a different look for Williams in his first start.

Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter combined for four sacks as Stroud threw touchdown passes to Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz in a convincing victory for the Texans.

Texans 24, Bears 14

Williams’ second start was much better than his first.

The Bears’ offense goes against a Colts defense with some holes in the secondary. Williams throws for 332 yards and three touchdowns (Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, DJ Moore), and the Bears defense holds Anthony Richardson to 185 yards, moving to 2-1.

Bears 27, Colts 16

Williams and the Bears get the gift of missing the recently retired Aaron Donald. But unfortunately, an early season loss to the Rams likely means Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Kyren Willaims are healthy.

The Rams’ offense was top-five in the NFL last season when all four were healthy, and that’s bad news for an ascending Bears defense with some holes on the defensive line.

Stafford and Williams trade blows all day by the lake, but the Rams veteran hits Nacua for a touchdown with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter.

Williams’ first game-winning drive fails when his pass on fourth-and-7 from the Bears’ 40-yard line falls incomplete. Despite the loss, it’s an encouraging day for Williams as the rookie threw for 297 yards and two scores in the loss.

Sheep 27, Bears 24

Week 5: vs. Carolina Panthers

The Bears’ defense stifled the Panthers’ hapless offense last season by the lake, and this year is no different.

Jaylon Johnson and Tremaine Edmunds defeated Bryce Young, while DJ Moore racked up 145 yards in a blowout victory, causing David Tepper to throw down several drinks in disgust.

Bears 27, Panthers 10

The Bears are making their first trip across the lake since 2019, and this one goes just as well as the last.

Williams throws two picks, and the Bears struggle to stop Trevor Lawrence (three total TDs, 313 yards passing) in a disappointing trip to London.

Jaguars 30, Bears 21

Week 7: Bye

The upside to the London game is that the Bears don’t have to wait until Week 13 to have a bye this season.

Week 8: in Washington Commanders

Williams and the Bears come off the bye week and head to the DMV for a contest with second overall pick Jayden Daniels and the new Commanders.

Coach Matt Eberflus’ defense suffocated Daniels from the opening kickoff, including a goal from TJ Edwards.

On offense, Williams proves himself in his hometown, throwing three first-half touchdowns and 366 yards to earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Bears 28, Commanders 13

The Bears dominated the Cardinals last season and wrote the run in a Week 9 contest in the desert.

Tyrique Stevenson and TJ Edwards defeated Kyler Murray, and D’Andre Swift rushed for 145 yards and two scores in an easy win.

Bears 24, Cardinals 13

Week 10: vs. New England Patriots

The Bears get their first look at No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye in Week 10. It’s Maye’s second start of the season, and while the North Carolina product has his moments (255 yards, two TDs), he also throws two interceptions.

Unfortunately for the Bears, Williams is also loose with the football in a sloppy lakeside effort.

Williams is picked off by Christian Gonzalez and stripped by Matthew Judon as both teams enter the fourth quarter tied at 14.

But Maye’s second interception of the day proved costly as Jaquan Brisker picked off the rookie and returned the ball inside the Patriots’ 20-yard line.

D’Andre Swift cashes in three plays later with an 11-yard run, and the Bears escape with a much-needed victory.

Bears 21, Patriots 14

The first battle of the Caleb Williams-Jordan Love era of the Bears-Packers rivalry lives up to the hype at Soldier Field.

Love and the Packers take a 17–14 halftime lead after Love hits Dontayvion Wicks for a 29-yard touchdown just before halftime.

But Williams responds to halftime by planning a 10-play, 72-yard drive, culminating with a 13-yard scoring strike to Keenan Allen to put the Bears back in front.

Another Love touchdown pass, this time to Jayden Reed, gives the Packers a 24-20 lead entering the fourth.

The two teams exchange punts to open the final stanza before Williams marched the Bears 78 yards over the final 6:12, hitting Kmet for a 7-yard score with 1:11 left to take the lead.

But Love still has enough time to get the Packers into field goal range, and Anders Carlson drills a 46-yarder to send the game into overtime.

The Bears get the ball first in overtime, but the drive stalls and Tory Taylor pins the Packers in their own territory. But the Bears defense can’t make a big play to get the ball back from Williams, as Love hits Luke Musgrave for a big gain deep in Bears territory to set up a game-winning Carlson field goal.

Packers 30, Bears 27 (OT)

The Bears don’t let the Packers beat them twice, as they quickly bounce back against a Vikings team that preys on rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy.

Eberflus’ defense holds McCarthy to 157 yards passing, and Williams does just enough against Brian Flores’ scheme to get the win.

Bears 17, Vikings 6

Week 13: at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving)

The Lions are in the NFC North class, but the Bears have played well against them the last two seasons and match up well against their division rival.

Detroit invested heavily in its secondary this offseason, but rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold had a rough day against Moore, Allen and Odunze while Williams threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns.

But Ben Johnson and the Lions offense have a little too much for the Bears defense to handle this time. Jared Goff throws three touchdown passes while Chicago’s defensive line fails to record a sack in the loss.

Lions 24, Bears 20

A late-season measuring stick game arrives in Week 14 when the Bears travel to Santa Clara to face the NFC champion 49ers.

Williams fares well against San Francisco’s physical defense, but Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy play with the Bears’ defense and take an early 14-point lead.

Williams brings the Bears back in the second half, tying the game with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Gerald Everett with 2:28 remaining.

But that’s too long for Purdy, who hits Brandon Aiyuk for a 27-yard gain, to get within field goal range. Jake Moody drills the game-winning 41-yarder, but the Bears leave San Francisco believing they are on the right track.

49ers 31, Bears 28

Week 15: at Minnesota Vikings (Monday Night Football)

The Bears and Vikings play another ugly game on Monday Night Football. But Minnesota has the upper hand in this dirt fest.

Flores’ defense forces two turnovers, while Aaron Jones racked up 154 ​​yards and two scores on the ground to lead Minnesota to a narrow victory.

Vikings 20, Bears 17

Riding a three-game losing streak, the Bears face a mid-December check-in game against the Lions.

Eberflus’ defense stifles the Lions’ offense and Williams is the author of one of his best games of the season, throwing for 338 yards and three touchdowns in a victory that stabilizes the Bears’ playoff hopes.

Bears 24, Lions 13

Week 17: vs. Seattle Seahawks (Thursday Night Football)

The Shane Waldron Bowl comes the day after Christmas, but the day belongs to defense in a blizzard at Soldier Field.

Eberflus and Mike Macdonald’s units harassed Williams and Geno Smith for most of the afternoon, but a fourth-quarter Montez Sweat sack leaves the Bears with a short field, and Swift rushes in from 8 yards out to give the Bears a tough one. fought a victory that keeps their playoff hopes alive.

Bears 17, Seahawks 13

Week 18: at Green Bay Packers

The Bears come into Lambeau Fields at 9-7, likely needing a win to secure a wild card spot. Maybe the Packers already have the division locked in and have nothing to play for.

But it’s never that easy.

Williams throws three touchdown passes, and the Bears lead 21-20 midway through the fourth quarter.

The Bears need a stop to potentially ice the game, but Love mounts a surgical drive that takes 6:45 off the clock and ends with a 12-yard pass to Tucker Kraft with 1:26 remaining. The Packers get the two-point conversion to make it a seven-point game.

Williams connects with Allen and Moore on back-to-back plays to lead the way, leading the Bears into Green Bay territory. Another 13-yard pass to Cole Kmet brings the Bears to the 31-yard line with 19 seconds remaining.

Williams has three throws in the end zone, but none of them connect, while Jaire Alexander stops Moore’s last attempted attempt, ending the Bears’ season with another loss to Lambeau.

Packers 28, Bears 21

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.