[CBFF] CT - Bears release 2007 schedule

[Jerry Madsen]

Bears release 2007 schedule
By John Mullin
Tribune staff reporter

April 11, 2007, 12:54 PM CDT

If nothing else the Bears should be able to sleep in a little during
the 2007 season.

The schedule released Wednesday has the Bears slated to kick off 10 of
their 16 games either in the late afternoon or at night, including a a
Thursday night game Dec. 6 at Washington and a Monday night game on
Dec. 17 at Minnesota.

The schedule does not break particularly in the Bears' favor from a
personnel standpoint. They open against three playoff teams (at San
Diego and at home against Kansas City and Dallas) before a three-game
stretch of division opponents, including two on the road at Detroit
and Green Bay. They then travel to NFC East champion Philadelphia.

The Bears project to be without two defensive starters through the
first half the season, depending on linebacker Lance Briggs'
determination to sit out the first 10 games because of unhappiness
with his franchise tag and the length of suspension the NFL hands
defensive tackle Tank Johnson once he is released from jail.

The Bears' defense slumped last season with the injury to safety Mike
Brown in Week 6. After defensive tackle Tommie Harris went down with a
hamstring injury in Game 12, the defense allowed a minimum of 21
points in each of the final four weeks and 22 per game in the
playoffs.

For the third straight season and sixth in the past eight, the Bears
open on the road. Not since the mid-1960s have the Bears gone three
straight years without opening at home.

Winning the NFC North earned the Bears matchups against division
winners and playoff foes New Orleans and Seattle in the NFC.

Ten of the Bears' 16 games will be against teams that finished .500 or
better in 2006, not including Super Bowl champion Indianapolis in the
preseason. Three of their five games against division winners are on
the road.

Statistically, the Bears played the NFL's easiest schedule in 2006
based on won-lost records (.430) but went 5-2 in games against their
opponents with records .500 or better, including playoff wins over
Seattle and New Orleans.

How meaningful is the strength of schedule? Of the final 11 teams
drafting in the first round of this month's draft-teams generally with
the NFL's best records-only the Colts (.500) played a schedule as
"strong" as break-even.

The NFC North bracketed the Bears' 2006 schedule. The first three
games and the last two of the season were against division opponents.
By the time the Bears faced Detroit and Green Bay, Chicago's playoff
status was assured. The Bears finished 11-1 against NFC opponents.

The NFC North is again bunched, with the three straight games Sept.
30-Oct. 14 followed by games 14 and 15 against Minnesota and Green
Bay.

In each of the last two seasons the Bears went 5-1 in the division,
living by Mike Ditka's dictum that all success begins with controlling
your division.

The schedule marks the first time in 14 years that the Denver Broncos
come to Chicago.

jmullin at tribune.com

The complete schedule:
Sun., Sept. 9 at San Diego, 3:15
Sun., Sept. 16 vs. Kansas City, 3:15
Sun., Sept. 23 vs. Dallas, 7:15
Sun., Sept. 30 at Detroit, Noon
Sun., Oct. 7 at Green Bay, 7:15
Sun., Oct. 14 vs. Minnesota, Noon
Sun., Oct. 21 at Philadelphia, 3:15
Sun., Oct. 28 vs. Detroit, Noon
Sun., Nov. 4 Bye
Sun., Nov. 11 at Oakland, 3:15
Sun., Nov. 18 at Seattle, 7:15
Sun., Nov. 25 vs. Denver, Noon
Sun., Dec. 2 vs. N.Y. Giants, 3:15
Thur., Dec. 6 at Washington, 7:15
Mon., Dec. 17 at Minnesota, 7:30
Sun., Dec. 23 vs. Green Bay, Noon
Sun., Dec. 30 vs. New Orleans, Noon

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