Four things to watch for ahead of Bears' 2022 schedule release originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields will discover how their 2022 season will look Thursday when the NFL releases this season's schedule in full.
We already know the Bears' 17 opponents. Chicago will face its NFC North rivals twice apiece, as is custom. The Bears also will face the AFC and NFC East, as well as the third-place teams from the AFC South (Houston Texans), NFC South (Atlanta Falcons), and NFC West (San Francisco 49ers).
In anticipation of the schedule release, here are four things I'll be looking for when the slate comes out Thursday.
Battle of the 2021 QB class
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Fields was the fourth quarterback selected in the first round of a highly-touted QB class in 2021.
Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, and Trey Lance went with the first three picks, while the Bears drafted Fields at No. 11 and the Patriots took Mac Jones at No. 15.
The Bears will see three of Fields' classmates in 2022. Chicago will visit Wilson and the New York Jets and head to Gillette Stadium to face Jones and the New England Patriots. The 49ers will come to Soldier Field. Lance, who sat behind Jimmy Garoppolo last season, is expected to be the starter in Year 2.
These games will be a good measuring stick to see how Fields' progress measures up to his contemporaries and for the Bears to see how those franchises are supporting their young quarterbacks.
Are the Lions … going to be decent?
The Lions bolstered their offensive arsenal this offseason, adding D.J. Chark and Jameson Williams to a group that already includes Amon-Ra St.Brown, tight end T.J. Hockenson and running back D'Andre Swift. Sprinkle in a solid offensive line, and the Lions are trending upward.
But they still have Jared Goff under center. Will he be able to make the most of the new weapons at his disposal?
Many expect the Bears and Lions to be at the bottom of the NFL in 2022. Whether or not the Lions are on the right path will inform us about the Bears' place in the NFC pecking order and whether or not Detroit and Chicago could be targeting the same group of top prospects in the 2023 draft.
Can the Bears beat the bad teams?
Despite all the pessimism surrounding the 2022 Bears, some very winnable games are on the schedule. The Falcons, Texans, Lions, Jets, and New York Giants all figure to range from below average to horrible.
Given that Eberflus and new general manager Ryan Poles are in Year 1 of a rebuild, the Bears shouldn't be expected to beat the likes of the Green Bay Packers or Buffalo Bills. But if the Bears can beat the teams in their weight class, it will bode well for the future.
How does the schedule finish?
The Bears likely will struggle out of the gates. That's the reality of life with a new head coach and a roster that will need contributions from rookies and some unheralded players.
It will be essential to see signs of progress from Fields, Eberflus, and the rest of the Bears as the season goes on.
That's why it will be interesting to see how the backend of the schedule shapes up. If the Bears' schedule is backloaded with playoff teams, the Bears can use it as a gauge to see how far away they are from contention and what areas are most important to address. (This should already be obvious.)
But if the schedule-makers give the Bears a few from the expected group of losers near the end, Chicago should be able to grab a few wins and show it's on the right track heading into Year 3.
