Chicago Bears 2026 Record Predictions

The Chicago Bears released their official 2026 schedule last Thursday. After winning the NFC North and reaching the divisional round in 2025, the Bears went from having one of the easiest schedules in the league to one of the toughest in 2026. However, with Ben Johnson leading the way, both players and fans are confident the team can still have success this season. With that being said, it is time to predict the Bears' record in 2026.

Chicago Bears 2026 Record Predictions

Noah Greenblatt: 12-5

Week 1: Sept. 13 at Carolina Panthers—Win

• WHY: The Bears’ recent trend of dominating Carolina will continue.

Week 2: Sept. 20 vs. Minnesota Vikings—Win

• WHY: Kyler Murray will still be getting used to his new team, and the Bears have learned from the mistakes they made in the home loss to the Vikings last year.

Week 3: Sept. 28 vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Monday Night Football)—Win

• WHY: This game will be closer/tougher than last year’s, but being at home gives the Bears the advantage.

Week 4: Oct. 4 vs. New York Jets—Win

• WHY: It’s the JETS… if they lose this game, they have serious problems.

Week 5: Oct. 11 at Green Bay Packers—Loss

• WHY: The Packers have had this one circled since January, and the Bears have struggled to win at Lambeau Field in recent years. 

Week 6: Oct. 18 at Atlanta Falcons—Win

• WHY: While Atlanta is a solid team, the Bears match up better across the board on offense. So, if the defense can limit Bijan Robinson, they’ll be more than fine.

Week 7: Oct. 22 vs. New England Patriots (Thursday Night Football)—Win

• WHY: New England is nowhere near as talented as they were last year, and even though the Bears defense will be facing its first real test, they should be more than capable of dealing with Drake Maye.

Week 8: Nov. 2 at Seattle Seahawks (MNF)—Loss

• WHY: Even with a full 10 days to prep for the game, Seattle’s excellent defense will likely be too much for even Ben Johnson’s offense to overcome, and the 12th Man certainly won’t make things easier.

Week 9: Nov. 8 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday Night Football)—Win

• WHY: This one should be incredibly fun. It’ll be a shootout, but it’s a shootout the Bears will win thanks to homefield advantage.

Week 10: BYE

Week 11: Nov. 22 vs. New Orleans Saints—Win

• WHY: Similar reason to the Atlanta game–the Saints are a solid team, but the Bears simply match up better.

Week 12: Nov. 26 at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving)—Loss

• WHY: Detroit is probably still the best team in the NFC North, and the Bears have lost four straight at Ford Field–including their last Thanksgiving matchup.

Week 13: Dec. 6 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars—Win

• WHY: A Florida team having to play in Chicago in December should give the Bears all the homefield advantage they need to get the victory.

Week 14: Dec. 13 at Miami Dolphins—Win

• WHY: The Dolphins are a mess, and Caleb Williams will feast on their lackluster defense.

Week 15: Dec. 19 at Buffalo Bills (Saturday)—Loss

• WHY: The offense is more than capable of hanging around, but Josh Allen will likely be too much for the Bears defense to handle in a hostile environment. 

Week 16: Dec. 25 vs. Green Bay Packers (Christmas)—Win

• WHY: For a second straight year, homefield advantage will help the Bears split the season series with the Pack.

Week 17: Jan. 3 vs. Detroit Lions—Win

• WHY: Just like my Week 2 prediction, I think the Bears have learned from the mistakes they made in the home loss to Detroit last year.

Week 18: TBD (Flex Game) at Minnesota Vikings—Loss

• WHY: The Bears haven’t won 4 divisional games in a season since 2018. Unfortunately, I see that trend continuing for at least one more season

Joseph Grassano: 11-6

The Bears finished last season with an identical record, so setting this as the floor for the team in 2026 makes sense. With the NFL scheduling Chicago on six short weeks this season, it's totally feasible for them to drop a few games they should win otherwise.

Two games that come to mind that perfectly fit this criteria are the New England Patriots Thursday Night Football game and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday Night Football game. Although New England will also enter that game on short rest, their less talented offensive roster could benefit.

On the other hand, a victory over Tampa Bay may be more difficult then peole realize. The week prior, Chicago travels to Seattle to play the Seahawks on Monday Night. Not only could the typical Monday night fatigue show up, but the West Coast factor could play into this, too. Thus, a game that looks very winnable on paper becomes much more difficult.

Bilal Kamal: 13-4

The Bears open the season with plenty of momentum and I expect Ben Johnson’s team to take advantage early. Chicago should start 4-0 with wins over Carolina, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and the Jets before reality sets in against Green Bay in Week 5. A road loss to the Packers feels almost inevitable, considering the hype that would surround the Bears at that point. However, Chicago rebounds quickly with victories over Atlanta and New England before suffering another tough road loss in Seattle against the defending Super Bowl champions.

Following the Seattle matchup, the schedule becomes much more favorable for Chicago. The Bears should bounce back with wins over Tampa Bay and New Orleans before a massive Thanksgiving showdown in Detroit. I believe Ben Johnson will have that game circled and the Bears finally get a statement road victory over the Lions. Still, a letdown loss against Jacksonville the following week would not be surprising, especially with the Jaguars possessing enough talent to capitalize on a potential trap game situation.

Down the stretch, Chicago proves why many view them as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Wins over Miami, Green Bay, Detroit, and Minnesota help the Bears close the regular season strong despite a difficult road loss to Buffalo in Week 15. The second matchup against Green Bay especially feels like a game where Chicago responds with a fourth-quarter comeback similar to last season. By the end of the year, the Bears finish 13-4 and enter the playoffs with momentum after securing the NFC North once again.

LaMarr Fields: 13-4

The  Bears have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL entering 2026, but they also look built to handle it with Caleb Williams taking another step under head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears' offense will thrive in year two in Ben Johnson's system.

Chicago’s schedule includes tough road games against Detroit, Green Bay, Seattle, Buffalo, and Miami, plus a tough late-season stretch. Williams should have a big season in store. Chicago’s defense led the NFL in turnovers last season and should be even stronger this upcoming year to win 12 games despite a tough schedule.