Based on the 2019 records of their opponents, the Bears are tied for the NFL's 13th most difficult 2020 schedule. The 16 teams they'll face combined to post a .508 winning percentage (129-125-2) this past season.
The Bears are slated to host the Packers (13-3 in 2019), Vikings (10-6), Lions (3-12-1), Saints (13-3), Buccaneers (7-9), Texans (10-6), Colts (7-9) and Giants (4-12); and visit the Packers (13-3), Vikings (10-6), Lions (3-12-1), Falcons (7-9), Panthers (5-11), Titans (9-7), Jaguars (6-10) and Rams (9-7).
The Bears will play seven of their 16 games against 2019 playoff teams, with two each versus the Packers and Vikings and one apiece against the Saints, Texans and Titans. Based on the NFL's rotating schedule format, the Bears and the rest of the NFC North will face all four teams in both the NFC South and AFC South in 2020.
Every NFL team also plays two games against counterparts from other divisions in the same conference that finished in the same place in the standings the previous season. With the Bears finishing third in the NFC North, they'll face the Giants (4-12) and Rams (9-7). The NFC North champion Packers will play the Eagles (9-7) and 49ers (13-3); the second-place Vikings will face the Cowboys (8-8) and Seahawks (11-5); and the fourth-place Lions will take on the Redskins (3-13) and Cardinals (5-10-1).
The Lions are tied for the fifth most difficult schedule in 2020, facing opponents with a .525 winning percentage (134-121-1). The Vikings are tied for 10th (.516, 131-123-2), while the Packers are 15th (.504, 128-126-2).
The Patriots have the NFL's most difficult schedule, playing against opponents that compiled a .537 winning percentage (137-118-1). The Ravens have the easiest schedule, facing opponents with a .438 winning percentage (112-144).
We've compiled each NFL team's strength of schedule in 2020 based on their opponents' records from 2019. With the list sorted from easiest to hardest, flip through to see where the Bears rank.
1st: Baltimore Ravens
Strength of Schedule: Easiest at .438
2nd: Pittsburgh Steelers
Strength of Schedule: 2nd Easiest at .457
3rd: Dallas Cowboys
Strength of Schedule: 3rd Easiest at .459
4th: Cleveland Browns
Strength of Schedule: 4th Easiest at .461
5th: Washington Redskins
Strength of Schedule: 5th Easiest at .465
6th: Cincinnati Bengals
Strength of Schedule: 6th Easiest at .477
7th: New York Giants
Strength of Schedule: 7th Easiest at .482
2020 Opponent: Giants at Bears
8th: Philadelphia Eagles
Strength of Schedule: 8th Easiest at .486
9th: New Orleans Saints
Strength of Schedule: 9th Easiest at .490
2020 Opponent: Saints at Bears
10th: Los Angeles Chargers
Strength of Schedule: 10th Easiest at .492
11th: Jacksonville Jaguars
Strength of Schedule: 11th Easiest at .494
2020 Opponent: Bears at Jaguars
12th: Las Vegas Raiders
Strength of Schedule: 12th Easiest at .496
13th: Tennessee Titans
Strength of Schedule: 13th Easiest at .498
2020 Opponent: Bears at Titans
T-14th: Carolina Panthers
Strength of Schedule: T-14th Easiest at .500
2020 Opponent: Bears at Panthers
T-14th: Kansas City Chiefs
Strength of Schedule: T-14th Easiest at .500
T-16th: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Strength of Schedule: T-16th Easiest at .502
2020 Opponent: Buccaneers at Bears
T-16th: Indianapolis Colts
Strength of Schedule: T-16th Easiest at .502
2020 Opponent: Colts at Bears
18th: Green Bay Packers
Strength of Schedule: 15th Hardest at .504
2020 Opponent: Home and Away
T-19th: Chicago Bears
Strength of Schedule: T-13th Hardest at .508
T-19th: Seattle Seahawks
Strength of Schedule: T-13th Hardest at .508
21st: Denver Broncos
Strength of Schedule: 12th Hardest at .512
T-22nd: Minnesota Vikings
Strength of Schedule: T-10th Hardest at .516
2020 Opponent: Home and Away
T-22nd: Los Angeles Rams
Strength of Schedule: T-10th Hardest at .516
2020 Opponent: Bears at Rams
T-24th: Arizona Cardinals
Strength of Schedule: T-8th Hardest at .518
T-24th: Houston Texans
Strength of Schedule: T-8th Hardest at .518
2020 Opponent: Texans at Bears
T-26th: Detroit Lions
Strength of Schedule: T-5th Hardest at .525
2020 Opponent: Home and Away
T-26th: Atlanta Falcons
Strength of Schedule: T-5th Hardest at .525
2020 Opponent: Bears at Falcons
T-26th: Buffalo Bills
Strength of Schedule: T-5th Hardest at .525
29th: San Francisco 49ers
Strength of Schedule: 4th Hardest at .527
30th: Miami Dolphins
Strength of Schedule: 3rd Hardest at .529
31st: New York Jets
Strength of Schedule: 2nd Hardest at .533
32nd: New England Patriots
Strength of Schedule: Hardest at .537
