6 takeaways from the Chicago Bears' 2025 schedule

The Chicago Bears' 2025 season gets started in prime time against the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings, which is one three prime-time games for the Bears, who will also be featured in a Black Friday affair against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here are six takeaways from the Bears' 2025 schedule.

Chicago Bears will get early NFC North test

There's no better way for the Bears to jumpstart what's expected to be a season fit for the playoffs than against the Vikings on Monday Night Football. Ben Johnson's head coaching debut will be in front of a national audience, as will J.J. McCarthy's first NFL start for the Vikings. The advantage in this one has to go to the Bears' defense, which will do everything it can to rattle Minnesota's QB-next. A Week 1 win over the Vikings would put the Chicago's 2025 season on a launching pad.

Early bye week will help Bears in 2025

I love the Week 5 bye for Chicago. It gives Johnson one month to get his coaching legs under him, and if things go sideways in the first quarter of the season, he'll get a much-needed bye to reset and adjust. If things are going well for the Bears, he'll get that valuable bye week to keep guys healthy and continue building on a winning formula.

Re-match vs. Commanders could make or break Bears' season

If there's one game that Bears fans should have circled on their calendar, it's the Week 6 matchup against the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football. The last time these two teams met resulted in the painful Fail Mary loss for Chicago. Caleb Williams will get his chance for revenge on a national stage; he can reset the 2024 quarterback narrative with a decisive win over Jayden Daniels. It's must-see TV.

NFC North could come down to final month of Bears games

The Chicago Bears' final five games include three NFC North matchups, including two against the Green Bay Packers in Weeks 13 and 15. Their season concludes at home against the Detroit Lions in Week 18. That's three of their six NFC North games in a five-week stretch. If the Bears are hanging tough in the division, they could be playing for a wild card or even divisional crown when the calendar flips to December.

No easy stretches of games for Chicago Bears

The one thing that really stands out about the Chicago Bears' 2025 schedule is that there are no easy stretches of games. Two of their four games before the bye are against the Vikings and Lions. The Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders are the other pair of contests, which should be winnable games. If Chicago is 2-2 before the bye, it's a win.

After the bye? The Commanders, Ravens, Bengals, Vikings, Eagles, Packers (twice), 49ers, and Lions are spread across 13 games; there are no back-to-back weeks that have a "winning streak" feel to them.

If the Bears make the playoffs in Year 1 under Ben Johnson, they'll certainly earn it.

Ben Johnson begins and ends season against former team

All eyes will be on the Bears' new head coach, especially when he squares up against the Lions. We won't have to wait long to see him face his old team, as Chicago travels to Detroit in Week 2. And how sweet will it be if the Chicago Bears' season comes down to Johnson upending Detroit in Week 18 at Soldier Field. It's a script made for Hollywood.