Bears '09 Schedule Released
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Apr 15, 2009 2:40PM
With the NFL's release of the entire league schedule last night, we learned who, when and where the Bears will play their games in 2009.
While we already knew that the Bears would play the Packers in the Sunday night nationally televised game during the opening weekend, we learn that for the Bears' home opener, they'll host the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers at Soldier Field. They face all of the AFC North and NFC West in addition to their two games against each of their other NFC North foes. The final two match-ups are against the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles.
2009 Bears Schedule:
Week 1: Sun, Sept. 13 at Green Bay Packers NBC 7:20 p.m.
Week 2: Sun, Sept. 20 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers CBS 3:15 p.m.
Week 3: Sun, Sept. 27 at Seattle Seahawks FOX 3:05 p.m.
Week 4: Sun, Oct. 4 vs. Detroit Lions FOX noon
Week 5: Bye Week
Week 6: Sun, Oct. 18 at Atlanta Falcons NBC 7:20 p.m.
Week 7: Sun, Oct. 25 at Cincinnati Bengals FOX noon
Week 8: Sun, Nov. 1 vs. Cleveland Browns CBS noon
Week 9: Sun, Nov. 8 vs. Arizona Cardinals FOX noon.
Week 10: Thu, Nov. 12 at San Francisco 49ers NFLN 7:20 p.m.
Week 11: Sun, Nov. 22 vs. Philadelphia Eagles NBC 7:20 p.m.
Week 12: Sun, Nov. 29 at Minnesota Vikings FOX noon.
Week 13: Sun, Dec. 6 vs. St. Louis Rams FOX noon
Week 14: Sun, Dec. 13 vs. Green Bay Packers FOX noon.
Week 15: Sun, Dec. 20 at Baltimore Ravens FOX noon
Week 16: Mon, Dec. 28 vs. Minnesota Vikings ESPN 7:20 p.m.
Week 17: Sun, Jan. 3 at Detroit Lions FOX noon.
While the Bears only play one Monday Night Football game -- December 28 vs. Minnesota -- the Bears have a total of five prime time nationally televised games on their schedule. In addition to the season opener in Green Bay, they play on Sunday nights against Atlanta and Philly, as well as a Thursday night game in San Francisco.
Overall, the Bears have the league's easiest schedule, based on their opponents' 2008 winning percentage (105-149-2, .414). Of course, when you play Detroit twice, that's going to thrown off those numbers a bit.