Bears have Leagues easiest schedule??? WTF?

**Slade** · 09-21-2006, 03:21 PM

Check this from John Clayton:

Everyone predicts an easy ride for the Bears. They have one of the league's best defenses, as well as the league's easiest schedule. But their control of the NFC North will be dependent upon how well they do against the Vikings, and it doesn't help that the game is in Minnesota. Brad Childress has established the personality of his team in victories against the Redskins and Panthers. The defense is hard-hitting. The offense isn't going to be high-scoring, but it will try to wear down a defense with the running of Chester Taylor and the power of its offensive line. Historically, big offensive lines with good running games are problems for light, Cover 2 defenses such the Bears'. QB Rex Grossman will have to have another big game for the Bears to overcome that potential problem. Grossman is off to a good start. He averaged 273 passing yards in victories over the Packers and Lions. The pressure is on the Vikings in this game. If they lose to the Bears, the Bears may be hard to catch. The Bears would be 3-0 in the division and have a home game against the Vikings on Dec

Soooo...a playoff team has an easy schedule. Even more reason why we gotta win!
Check it, remaining games for the Bears:

@ Vikings
@ Seattle
Buffalo
@ Arizona
San Francisco
Miami
@ Giants
@ Jets
@ Patriots
Vikings
@ St. Louis
Tampa Bay
@ Detroit
Green Bay

- And they started with the Lions & Pack.....we gotta win!

**Zeus** · 09-21-2006, 03:41 PM

"Slade" wrote:

Check this from John Clayton:

Everyone predicts an easy ride for the Bears. They have one of the league's best defenses, as well as the league's easiest schedule.

The "easiest" schedule bit is solely dependent on last season's records for this season's opponents.
Since they have both the Packers & Lions in there, it really really helps that whole "easiest" thing.

=Z=

**ultravikingfan** · 09-21-2006, 03:49 PM

They have the same schedule as us with the exception the play the other 2 NFC teams that finished first.

Here is the formula which I have posted a ton of times before:

It may be a good indicator, but all teams follow the same formula for their schedules.

-6 Division Games

-4 Against Opposite Conference of a selected Divsion

-3 Against an NFC Conference

-3 Against the other 3 teams in the NFC that finished the same spot in their Division

That is the formula my friends. Its the same for the entire NFL and its fair.

**Braddock** · 09-21-2006, 03:50 PM

Not counting the Vikings, there's only 3 games that could give the Bears trouble. Not good for us, that's for sure. We need to match them step for step, every week. This game is BIG. Obviously we all know that <<< but everyday it seems to grow in importance.

**Zeus** · 09-21-2006, 03:58 PM

"ultravikingfan" wrote:

That is the formula my friends. Its the same for the entire NFL and its fair.

It's very fair.
The Bears schedule just SOUNDS easier because two games against the Vikes adds 18-16 to the overall strength-of-schedule equation while our two games against them adds 22-10 to ours.

=Z=

**Slade** · 09-21-2006, 04:10 PM

True, the formula is for all teams, but the Bears do play some weak teams

Prophet · 09-21-2006, 04:15 PM

Even though they have many of the same opponents the home vs away in these games is different for both teams.
That has a bearing on the 'easiest' label too.

**BloodyHorns82** · 09-21-2006, 04:22 PM

"Prophet" wrote:

Even though they have many of the same opponents the home vs away in these games is different for both teams.
That has a bearing on the 'easiest' label too.

Yeah, but all the Bears home games are with the weaker teams on the schedule. They have to play Seattle and the Giants on the road.
We at least had Carolina at home.
I just don't buy into the idea that Chicago has an easy schedule.
It's no easier than ours.

**josdin00** · 09-21-2006, 05:12 PM

We play all the same teams as the Bears except for two games. Those two games for us were the Washington and Carolina matchups, both 2nd place teams in their divisions last year. The Bears will play the Bucs and the Giants, the winners of those same divisions.

Last year the Giants were 11-5 while the Redskins were 10-6. The Bucs and the Panthers were tied. Therefore, the uncommon opponents cause a difference of one game between our strength of schedule, and the Bears'. If you discount the games where the Vikings and the Bears play each other, we actually have the easier schedule.

However, all of this is based on last year's results, which doesn't count for a whoile lot this year.

I actually think the Bears' schedule is harder because of the three road games in a row they play on the east coast at the end of november; @ Giants, @ jets, then @ patriots. They might as well get a hotel in New York for the month.

Guess who gets to play them in Chicago the week after that "road trip"?

**Ltrey33** · 09-21-2006, 05:34 PM

"josdin00" wrote:

We play all the same teams as the Bears except for two games. Those two games for us were the Washington and Carolina matchups, both 2nd place teams in their divisions last year. The Bears will play the Bucs and the Giants, the winners of those same divisions.

Last year the Giants were 11-5 while the Redskins were 10-6. The Bucs and the Panthers were tied. Therefore, the uncommon opponents cause a difference of one game between our strength of schedule, and the Bears'. If you discount the games where the Vikings and the Bears play each other, we actually have the easier schedule.

However, all of this is based on last year's results, which doesn't count for a whoile lot this year.

I actually think the Bears' schedule is harder because of the three road games in a row they play on the east coast at the end of november; @ Giants, @ jets, then @ patriots. They might as well get a hotel in New York for the month.

Guess who gets to play them in Chicago the week after that "road trip"?

Good post Josdin! I didn't know that.