Thread: reporters predict 2011 season- who ya got??

go 12-4:

Week 1: Sept 11. Atlanta "W"
Week 2: at New Orleans "L"
Week 3: Green Bay "W"
Week 4: Carolina "W"
Week 5: Monday Oct 10 at Detroit "W"
Week 6: SNF Oct 16 Minnesota "W"
Week 7: vs. Tampa Bay at London "W"
Week 8: OFF
Week 9: MNF Nov 7 at Philadelphia "L"
Week 10: Detroit "W"
Week 11: San Diego "W"
Week 12: at Oakland "L"
Week 13: Kansas City "W"
Week 14: at Denver "W"
Week 15: Seattle "W"
Week 16: Primetime Dec 25 at Green Bay Damm so hard really want the christmas "W", though likely a "L"
Week 17: Jan 1 at Minnesota "W"

The Bears play a fourth game in prime time when they face the Eagles in Philadelphia on Monday night, Nov. 7. That game follows their Week 8 open date, which is the week after their scheduled trip to London's Wembley Stadium to play the Buccaneers. That is considered a home game for the Bucs and will be played at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium if there is not a labor agreement by Aug. 1.

In four prime-time games last season the Bears went 3-1. They were 2-0 on Monday night, 1-0 on Thursday night and 0-1 on Sunday night. Under Smith, the Bears are 6-1 on Monday Night Football and 7-7 on Sunday Night Football.

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nice to see lovie turn around the MNF 'curse" where in 90's and under jauron we got romped on MNF..

Some good and funny coments from mullin:

Bears open vs. Atlanta; host Packers Week 3


By John Mullin
CSNChicago.com

The NFL does not yet have the security of a collective bargaining agreement between its owners and players. But players are working out on their own as if there will be a season, owners are managing their businesses as if there’ll be one, and the league has put out its 2011 schedule also based on the assumption that there will be football on time come September.

The Bears did not draw the honor of opening against the defending Super Bowl champions; the distinction of visiting the Green Bay Packers to open the 2011 season has gone to the New Orleans Saints, who preceded the Packers in the confetti shower.

But the Bears do get just their second home opener of the Lovie Smith era, facing the NFC South-winning Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 11. And the season will end with holiday specials against two division opponents: Green Bay on Dec. 25 followed by the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 1, both games away from the lakefront.

“We like opening with three of our first four games in front of our fans at Soldier Field,” Smith said in a statement. “It is also clear that our division is well respected as we face each of our rivals in primetime this season. The NFC North deserves the showcase games and we look forward to those classic match-ups in front of a national audience.”

The league also thinks enough of the Bears and the NFC North to have prime-time games with the Bears against each of their division rivals.

This marks the fifth time in eight Lovie Smith seasons that the Bears have finished with two division opponents and it is seventh time in Smith’s eight years that the NFL has pitted the Bears against the Packers in one of the last two games of a season.

The schedule has the Bears facing Detroit and Philadelphia in Monday Night Football games, a venue in which Smith’s teams are 6-1.

Including the two games against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Bears draw a schedule that lines up with eight teams that finished the 2010 season with winning records, in addition to the 8-8 Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders game falls in a stretch of four games against the AFC West, including a visit by Jay Cutler to Denver where the Broncos may be quarterbacked by Kyle Orton.

Day/Date/Time Opponent (‘10 record)

Sun. Sept. 11, noon Atlanta Falcons (13-3)

Comment: Division winners with Matt Ryan. Only the second time Lovie Smith has opened at home.

Sun., Sept. 18, noon @ New Orleans Saints (11-5)

Comment: For all of their successes, Drew Brees and Saints are 0-5 vs. Lovie Smith, including playoffs.

Sun., Sept. 25, 3:15 p.m Green Bay Packers (10-6)

Comment: An early season win was scant consolation after the Packers beat the Bears twice in three games on the way to the Super Bowl. Green Bay’s arrow clearly pointing up.

Sun., Oct. 2, noon Carolina Panthers (2-14)

Comment: Ron Rivera as head coach, Cam Newton as his starting quarterback? Story lines, anyone?

Mon, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. @ Detroit Lions (6-10)

Comment: The one-time doormats nearly beat the Bears twice and won their last four, including a shutdown of the Packers. If Matthew Stafford can stay healthy for a full season….

Sun., Oct. 16, 7:20 p.m. Minnesota Vikings (6-10)

Comment: The end of the Brett Favre “Era” finally arrives. Leslie Frazier begins the makeover of a team with an identity crisis at quarterback.

Sun., Oct. 23, 7 p.m. @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)

Comment: Currently scheduled for Wembley Stadium in London but owners-players impasse needs to be settled by Aug. 1.

Sun., Oct. 30 Off week

Mon., Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m. @ Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)

Comment: Another date with Michael Vick. This makes five straight years facing the Eagles, last four decided by 5 or fewer points.

Sun., Nov. 13, noon Detroit Lions (6-10)

Comment: Last game vs. NFC before a four-game run through the AFC West.

Sun., Nov. 20, 3:15 p.m. San Diego Chargers (9-7)

Comment: One of the NFL’s more enigmatic teams. Cutler and Philip Rivers can renew acquaintances.

Sun., Nov. 27, 3:05 p.m. @ Oakland Raiders (8-8)

Comment: The NFL’s most hostile environment for visitors but Bears haven’t lost to Raiduhs since ’99.

Sun., Dec., 4, noon Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)

Comment: Chiefs were wild-card losers last postseason but have won five straight vs. NFC under one-time Bears asst. Todd Haley.

Sun., Dec. 11, 3:05 p.m. @ Denver Broncos (4-12)

Comment: Orton or Tim Tebow under center for Cutler’s “homecoming” against the team that drafted him.

Sun., Dec. 18, noon Seattle Seahawks (7-9)

Comment: The division winner with the losing record were 1-1 vs. ‘10 Bears, including playoffs.

Sun., Dec. 25, 7:20 p.m. @ Green Bay Packers (10-6)

Comment: First of two division games to finish the season. Either or both likely to have playoff seeding at stake.

Sun., Jan. 1, noon @ Minnesota Vikings (6-10)

Comment: Vikings should have their quarterback situation sorted out by then.

Chicago Bears schedule analysis

April, 19, 2011


By Kevin Seifert


Breakdown: The first thing I noticed was the imbalance of home games. Last season there was heightened discussion of the Solider Field grass, and the Bears' steadfast refusal to convert to artificial turf. I'm sure it's only a coincidence that the Bears would play three of their first four games, and four of their first six, at home -- when the turf is conceivably in the best condition of the year.

As a result, the Bears would play three of their final four games on the road and would have only two games at Soldier Field after Nov. 20. If the Bears have designs on repeating as NFC North champions, they better hope they have a bit of a cushion entering Week 16. Otherwise, they'll need to win back-to-back games against division rivals -- first the Green Bay Packers and then the Minnesota Vikings to close out the season.

But make no mistake: The NFL views the Bears as an interesting, if not elite, team in 2011. They'll play twice on Sunday night and twice on Monday night, one short of the maximum prime-time appearances for any team. Three of those games would come in a five-week stretch.

Complaint department: Another rough area would center around the scheduled Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As expected, they would get their bye in Week 8. But their next game is also scheduled for the road, against the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite the presence of the bye, the NFL didn't do the Bears any favors here.

Unless you're a Bears (or Bucs) fan living in London, or you've got a Transatlantic frequent flyer ticket, I think you're hoping the lockout extends past Aug. 1. If that's the case, the NFL will revert the game to Tampa Bay's Raymond James Stadium. Call me a xenophobe if you want. From a competitive standpoint, I'm just not feeling this trip.

Cutler's return(s): Given the visceral reaction to quarterback Jay Cutler's knee injury in the NFC Championship Game, both inside and outside of Illinois state lines, I truly wonder whether it would be better for him to make his first 2011 start at home or on the road. We've assumed for some time that the Bears would open against the Packers at Lambeau Field, but now we know they would host the Atlanta Falcons. If Soldier Field is anything other than a friendly place for Cutler that day, he's in for a long season.

If the NFL really wanted to have some fun, it would have sent the Bears to open their regular season at the Denver Broncos, where Cutler played the first three seasons of his career. Instead, that game would be played in Week 14 at Invesco Field.

W1: Sunday, Sept. 11 vs. Atlanta

The offensive line likely won't be a cohesive unit in Week 1, especially with the lockout already wiping out some of the team's offseason conditioning program, not to mention the club's plans to totally revamp the unit. Count on Atlanta bringing lots of corner blitzes. -- MW
Dickerson


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Wright


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W2: Sunday, Sept. 18 at New Orleans

Drew Brees at home in that timing and precision based offense. No thanks. Plus, I can only imagine the frequency Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will dial up the blitz against Jay Cutler. If the Bears offensive line problems get solved in the offseason, they have a shot to win this game. If the Bears continue to struggle protecting the quarterback, this could be a disaster on both sides of the football, and a rough start to the year. -- JD
Dickerson


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Wright


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W3: Sunday, Sept. 25 vs. Green Bay

The Bears look to avenge their NFC Championship loss to the Packers in their first divisional matchup of the season. Chicago's familiarity with Green Bay will allow it to shut down the Packers' offense. But remember, this works both ways. This will be low scoring. -- MW
Dickerson


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Wright


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W4: Sunday, Oct. 2 vs. Carolina

Carolina's situation at quarterback and the fact that Julius Peppers is meeting his former team once again makes this contest ripe for the Bears to post plenty of sacks and gobble up a few turnovers. Under Ron Rivera, the Panthers will be improved defensively. -- MW
Dickerson


(2-2)
Wright


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contin

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/

I need to see what we draft and how FA goes before predicting next seasons record