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          NFL Nation

          Chicago Bears schedule 2023: Takeaways, predictions

          Justin Fields fell just short of the NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback, but he'd rather pursue a record for passing yards. AP Photo/Paul Sancya
          • Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterMay 12, 2023, 12:33 AM
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              Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017, originally covering the Minnesota Vikings before switching to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports journalist.

          CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears’ 2023 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate on Thursday.

          The Bears are once again prime-time darlings despite a league-worst 3-14 finish last season. Chicago plays on "Sunday Night Football" in Los Angeles against the Chargers, travels to Minnesota for "Monday Night Football" and has games at Washington and at home against Carolina on "Thursday Night Football." This is the first season when teams are allowed to play twice on Thursdays.

          For a third time since 2018, the Bears open the season against division rival Green Bay, but this will be the first time since 1991 that Chicago will not be facing a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback, either Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers. The Bears hope to snap an eight-game losing streak to their NFC North opponent with quarterback Jordan Love making the second start of his career.

          Love isn’t the only intriguing quarterback matchup for the Bears. Chicago also faces Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert, with all three games taking place on the road.

          Chicago has another late-season bye in Week 13 after a stretch of four road games in five weeks in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Detroit and Minnesota.

          Here’s what’s in store for the Bears:

          Schedule

          Sept. 10: vs. Green Bay

          Sept. 17: at Tampa Bay

          Sept. 24: at Kansas City

          Oct. 1: vs. Denver

          Oct. 5: at Washington (TNF)

          Oct. 15: vs. Minnesota

          Oct. 22: vs. Las Vegas

          Oct. 29: at Los Angeles Chargers (SNF)

          Nov. 5: at New Orleans

          Nov. 9: vs. Carolina (TNF)

          Nov. 19: at Detroit

          Nov. 27: at Minnesota (MNF)

          Dec. 3: Bye

          Dec. 10: vs. Detroit

          Dec. 17: at Cleveland

          Dec. 24: vs. Arizona

          Dec. 31: vs. Atlanta

          Jan. 7: at Green Bay

          Strength of schedule: .497 (tied for 18th toughest)

          Over/under: 7.5 wins

          Biggest takeaway

          The intrigue surrounding quarterback Justin Fields in his third season sparked interest from the NFL’s schedule makers. In addition to four prime-time games, the Bears were placed in three late afternoon (4:25 p.m. ET) time slots when they face the Packers, Chiefs and Cardinals. The Bears remain one of the most popular brands in the NFL with a fan base that gets to watch its team during seven nationally televised broadcasts.

          Revenge game

          David Montgomery joined forces with Detroit in free agency despite Chicago’s attempts to re-sign the running back, who played for the Bears from 2019 to 2022. He’ll have two meetings against his former team in a four-week span when Chicago plays in Detroit on Nov. 19 and hosts the Lions at Soldier Field on Dec. 10. Wide receiver DJ Moore, who was traded to the Bears in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick, along with fellow former Panthers PJ Walker and D'Onta Foreman, will face Carolina during Chicago’s second of two Thursday night games on Nov. 9.

          Bold prediction

          The Bears still aren’t constructed to contend for the playoffs in 2023, but with a shifting landscape in the NFC North, Chicago will end up winning three of its six divisional matchups after going 0-6 against Detroit, Green Bay and Minnesota last season. It starts with a win in the home opener against Green Bay followed by another win at Soldier Field against Minnesota on Oct. 5 and culminates on Nov. 19 in Detroit in the midst of a tough stretch with four of five games on the road from Week 8 to Week 12.