The Chicago Bears concluded an NFL season marked by notable achievements under first-year head coach Ben Johnson and emerging star quarterback Caleb Williams. They clinched the NFC North and advanced to the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. Williams, in his sophomore year, impressed many by nearly throwing for 4,000 yards, marking his first under Johnson. However, Johnson aspires for greater accomplishments in the coming season.
“Our goal is to win the Super Bowl,” Johnson stated. “I want more than that. I want to have the highest-scoring offense ever, which happens to be the 2013 Denver Broncos. I know how many points per game they scored, and I want to surpass them. I want shutouts. I want blowouts.” The 2013 Broncos, led by Peyton Manning, averaged 37.9 points per game. In contrast, the Bears averaged 25.9 points last season.
Recently, top receiver Luther Burden suffered an injury during training camp but is expected to return shortly for the preseason. The Bears’ defense did not record a shutout last season, coming closest in a decisive 31-3 victory over the Cleveland Browns in December.
Training camp has also brought challenges, with safety Coby Bryant sidelined for up to six months and cornerback Kyler Gordon dealing with a calf issue. The rigorous upcoming season adds to their test, as the Bears face what is considered the toughest schedule in the NFL, according to ESPN.
Their preseason kicks off on Saturday, August 15, against the Browns, amid Cleveland’s ongoing auditions for their starting quarterback between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. The regular season begins with the Bears hosting the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, August 13, followed by a home clash with a potentially improved Minnesota Vikings on August 20.
Beyond these games, they confront the Philadelphia Eagles and last season’s Super Bowl contenders, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Tough NFC North matchups feature throughout their schedule.
Fox Sports places an over/under wins total at 9.5 games for Chicago, favoring the under. This projection indicates a potential dip from their stellar 2025 performance and diverges from Johnson’s ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl.