Bears Open 2009 In Prime Time

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Mar 24, 2009 3:00PM

For the second consecutive year, the Bears will find themselves playing in front of a national audience in the first week of the season. The Bears head to Lambeau Field for a week one prime time match-up against the Green Bay Packers on NBC's "Sunday Night Football." The September 13 game will be the 178th between the two foes, whose rivalry goes back to 1921. The Bears hold the 91-80-6 advantage against the Pack, with the two team splitting last year's games. Bears head coach Lovie Smith, who knows that beat the Packers is almost as important as making the playoffs, is 4-1 at Lambeau during his tenure. Can the Bears steal a week one win again in '09? When they opened on "Sunday Night Football" last year, they upset the heavily favored Indianapolis Colts. As for the rest of the Bears schedule, the NFL will release the full slate of games in April.