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Despite going just 5-12 in 2024, there is a lot for Chicago Bears fans to be excited about. With the NFL officially releasing the 2025 season schedule, predictions are fully underway for Ben Johnson's first year with the Bears.
Johnson, the reigning AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, was the ideal hire to guide 2023 No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Though still unproven, Johnson has made the right moves thus far in his first offseason as a head coach. He paired his offensive prowess by hiring Dennis Allen as his defensive coordinator. Despite quickly flaming out as a head coach, Allen has a long track record of success as a defensive leader.
In addition to their sideline adjustments, the Bears made several admirable roster moves. General manager Ryan Poles quickly addressed the team's biggest need by trading for Pro Bowl offensive linemen Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson. Chicago made further defensive splashes by signing veterans Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo.
The Bears added several intriguing pieces in the draft to cap off a stellar offseason. With all the right pieces, Chicago's fate depends on Johnson putting them together on the field. With a challenging schedule, it will not come easily, but the Bears are one of the league's biggest sleeper teams entering 2025.
Week 1 – Minnesota Vikings (home)
The Bears get the pleasure of hosting J.J. McCarthy's long-awaited NFL debut. McCarthy will develop a long and successful career, but facing a Dennis Allen-led defense that features the likes of Jarrett, Montez Sweat and Kyler Gordon is a tough opening act. Williams had one good and one bad game against the Vikings as a rookie, with the meeting at Soldier Field being one of his best games of the year. It might not be pretty, but he will do just enough to get past Brian Flores' tricky defense.
Prediction: Bears win 21-10 (1-0)
Week 2 – Detroit Lions (away)
The last time these teams met at Ford Field, the Bears nearly pulled off the upset, with Williams tossing three scores. The semi-rebuilding Lions get a tough opening week matchup against the Green Bay Packers, but are 5-1 against Chicago in the last three years. The Bears have not won their first road game of the season since 2020, which, coincidentally, came against Detroit. In his big homecoming, Johnson falls just short against his former mentor in a thrilling shootout.
Prediction: Lions win 35-31 (1-1)
Week 3 – Dallas Cowboys (home)
The Bears return home for Week 3, where they take on the new and improved Cowboys squad. Historically, Dallas has had Chicago's number, winning three of the last four matchups dating back to 2014. Three weeks should be more than enough time for Dak Prescott to settle into his new offensive arsenal led by CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, which will create a world of problems for Chicago's unstable secondary. The Micah Parsons-led pass-rush will also be a massive early test for the Bears' upgraded offensive line.
Prediction: Cowboys win 28-13 (1-2)
Week 4 – Las Vegas Raiders (away)
Few teams changed as much over the offseason as the Raiders did. Change typically comes with an adjustment period, but Pete Carroll and Geno Smith have already spent several years together with the Seattle Seahawks. They enter this game off a tough two-game stretch against the Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders, making a home game against the Bears somewhat of a rebound spot. Chicago will be competitive, but has not typically responded well to losses recently.
Prediction: Raiders win 24-21 (1-3)
Week 5 – BYE
Week 5 will be the first week of byes in the NFL, and the Bears are among the first to get a rest. With a tough opening month, this young team could benefit from an early reset. Chicago is joined by the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers as teams sitting out Week 5.
Week 6 – Washington Commanders (away)
This game should be one all returning members should have scheduled on their calendars since last season's debacle. The Bears' 2024 season fell apart at the seams after their loss to the Commanders, and they have one chance to avenge that painful loss in 2025. Pair that with Chicago coming out of its bye week, and it should be fully prepared for this matchup. The Monday night affair gives Washington an extra day of rest, but the Commanders will enter this contest off back-to-back away games, the previous week being on the West Coast. Fatigue could be a big factor.
Prediction: Bears win 17-14 (2-3)
Week 7 – New Orleans Saints (home)
Following Derek Carr's sudden retirement, nobody knows what the Saints will look like by Week 7. Early indications suggest it will not be good. New Orleans took Tyler Shough in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but without Carr, they could be looking for a more permanent replacement in 2026. By Week 7, they might already be packing it in. The Bears get their first big win of their 2025 schedule against a lost team.
Prediction: Bears win 31-14 (3-3)
Week 8 – Baltimore Ravens (away)
Facing the Ravens is never easy, and the Bears get the unenviable challenge of playing them out of their bye week. Chicago should be riding high off a big win over the Saints, but Baltimore could need this win badly with a brutal early schedule that includes matchups with the Lions, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams. Williams will make it interesting, but Lamar Jackson's late-game heroics end the Bears' brief win streak.
Prediction: Ravens win 28-27 (3-4)
Week 9 – Cincinnati Bengals (away)
After playing the Ravens, Chicago stays on the road for another difficult matchup against the Bengals. However, Cincinnati will be on the other end of its bye week and preparing to kick back in Week 10. The Bengals boasted one of the league's best offenses down the stretch in 2024 but are notoriously inconsistent, particularly early in the year. This is a viable trap game for Cincinnati, coming off soft-ball matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets. Johnson and Williams will take full advantage of an erratic defense and pull off the upset in another exciting game.
Prediction: Bears win 30-27 (4-4)
Week 10 – New York Giants (home)
If the season goes the way both teams predict, this coaching matchup between Johnson and Brian Daboll should be a fun, under-the-radar affair. The real test, however, will be between Chicago's offensive line and the Giants' elite front seven. The unit is much improved, but still allowed an NFL-high 68 sacks in 2024. They will have their hands full in Week 10 against Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence II. The Giants have one of the league's toughest schedules in 2025 and need this one much more than the Bears do.
Prediction: Giants win 20-14 (4-5)
Week 11 – Minnesota Vikings (away)
The Bears' first rematch of 2025 comes in Week 11, taking on the Vikings on the road. Chicago might have gotten the best of McCarthy in his curtain-jerking act, but the semi-rookie will exact his revenge the second time around. Minnesota could be vulnerable in this spot, coming off a brutal four-game stretch, but this game will serve as their rebound. Entering 2025, the Vikings are 7-1 against the Bears in the last eight meetings. Here's to saying they get back on track emphatically after dropping Week 1.
Prediction: Vikings win 35-17 (4-6)
Week 12 – Pittsburgh Steelers (home)
Like the Saints, it is impossible to predict where the Steelers will be at this point in the year. But in a division as cut-throat as the AFC North, they could be in rough shape by Week 12. If there is a year in which Mike Tomlin's infamous streak of avoiding a losing record will end, it is 2025. Coming off a lopsided loss to the Vikings, the Bears take full advantage of a wailing Pittsburgh team that will only be knee-deep in no man's land by Week 12.
Prediction: Bears win 21-7 (5-6)
Week 13 – Philadelphia Eagles (away)
The Bears do not have any Thursday Night Football games in 2025 but face a quick turnaround in Week 13 when they face the Eagles on Black Friday. Assuming Saquon Barkley is healthy for the matchup, this could be a soft spot for him to exploit against Chicago's mediocre linebacking corps. Although not technically a prime-time matchup, the Bears have struggled in featured spots in recent years, going just 1-9 in such games in their last 10.
Prediction: Eagles win 19-10 (5-7)
Week 14 – Green Bay Packers (away)
Chicago finally ended its 11-game losing streak against the Packers in 2024, stealing a Week 18 matchup at Lambeau Field. Green Bay will seek vengeance for that result, but this is an entirely different Bears team. A lot can change by Week 14, but Chicago simply has the better team in 2025. Under Dennis Allen, the Bears plan to implement more man-to-man coverages, which Love struggles against. Love completed just 47.8 percent of his passes against man defenses in 2024, as route-running efficiency continues to evade the Packers' receivers.
Prediction: Bears win 24-17 (6-7)
Week 15 – Cleveland Browns (home)
The Bears could get their first taste of Shedeur Sanders in Week 15, but it is anybody's guess. Sanders might be under center, but it could also be Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett or Joe Flacco. The offensive uncertainty is going to take its toll, but Cleveland still has a potentially elite defense. Coming off a big win over the Packers, this is a prime letdown spot against a gritty team that routinely shuts down opposing passing games. Chicago escapes with a narrow victory to get back to .500.
Prediction: Bears win 17-14 (7-7)
Week 16 – Green Bay Packers (home)
Shockingly, Week 16 will be the first time in 2025 the Bears get consecutive home games. It comes in a Saturday slot against the Packers, presumably in prime time. Given Chicago's struggles against Green Bay and in featured games, this one has Packers win written all over it. However, this game will be infinitely more meaningful if the Bears are even close to .500 by Week 16. In his first year, nothing would be better for Johnson than going 2-0 against his cross-town rivals. He gets it done in front of a sold-out crowd at Soldier Field.
Prediction: Bears win 16-10 (8-7)
Week 17 – San Francisco 49ers (away)
According to our predictions, the Bears ride a three-game win streak into Week 17. Under their current expectations, that might spark a parade in downtown Chicago. Unfortunately, with the playoffs within reach, the Bears get a tough draw against a hungry 49ers team. Playing for the 12th consecutive week, fatigue and wear and tear will be a massive concern for Chicago late in the season. Having to go across the country for this game, the veteran San Francisco team's experience will prevail in a back-and-forth slugfest.
Prediction: 49ers win 21-17 (8-8)
Week 18 – Detroit Lions (home)
If the NFC North is as close in 2025 as it was in 2024, this final game against the Lions could easily be one of the most meaningful games of the year. If the Bears are anywhere close to the level they can reach, a lot will be on the line for them in Week 18. Drawing Detroit in the final week for a potential playoff spot is pitiful, but nobody knows Dan Campbell better than Johnson. If there is any coach in the league who can predict the way Campbell thinks, it is his former offensive coordinator. Johnson gives Chicago its first winning season since 2018, bringing the Bears back to the playoffs.
Prediction: Bears win 31-21 (9-8)
Final Bears 2025 season prediction
It has been a long time since the Bears had legitimate hope, but they finally seemed to get the right pieces in order. Not everything clicks right away, but Chicago last enjoyed a winning season in Matt Nagy's first year. Their schedule likely prevents another 12-win season, but a similar effect could be in store. The Bears are more than capable of winning at least nine games in 2025 and possibly slipping into the Wild Card picture.
They will not win the Super Bowl, but the Bears will surprise many in Johnson's first year. With a few upsets, Chicago should certainly be viewed as a dark horse candidate to come out of the NFC North.
