Fox Sports analyst and analytics expert Warren Sharp believes that the Bears have one of the league's most favorable 2023 schedules.
In an interesting article where Sharp examines "schedule equity," he indicates that the Bears are the only NFL team that will not play a single game this year with less rest than their opponent.
In their two Thursday night games—Oct. 5 at Washington and Nov. 9 versus the Panthers—the Bears will face teams, like them, that also played the previous Sunday. The Bears have one Monday night game—Nov. 27 in Minnesota—but don't have a short week because their bye week follows the contest.
According to Sharp, the Bears have a cumulative net difference of rest days of plus-12 on the season, tied for the most in the NFL with the Jets and Commanders and the most they've had in at least the last 35 years. The 49ers have the worst rest differential at minus-20.
In addition, the Bears are one of only six teams that play just one game where their opponent has more than a week to prepare for them: the Vikings have eight days in advance of the aforementioned Monday night meeting in Minnesota.
This season the Bears will not play an opponent that's coming off a bye or even a "mini-bye" following a Thursday night game. On the other hand, they also won't face a team that's on a short week after a Monday night contest.
