Bears to start at home, finish on the road

The Bears get to play three of their first four games at home this season, if there is a season, but three of those first four games are against playoff teams that won a combined 34 regular-season games last season.

They kick off the season at home against the NFC South champion Falcons, who were 13-3 last season. In their last 18 season openers at home, the Bears are 15-3. In Week 2 they travel to New Orleans to play the Saints (11-5), before playing host to the Packers (10-6) and the Panthers (2-14).

The defending NFC North champions also play each of their division foes in prime time for the first time in franchise history. In Week 5, the Bears are in Detroit for a Monday night game against the Lions on Oct. 10. The following week the Bears host the Vikings on Sunday night, Oct. 16.

In Week 16, on Christmas night, the Bears play the Packers in Green Bay before finishing the regular season in Minnesota at noon against the Vikings on New Year's Day. That concludes a four-week stretch that includes three road games.

“We like opening with three of our first four games in front of our fans at Soldier Field,” coach Lovie Smith said. “It is also clear that our division is well respected, as we face each of our rivals in prime time this season. The NFC North deserves the showcase games, and we look forward to those classic matchups in front of a national audience.”

The Bears play a fourth game in prime time when they face the Eagles in Philadelphia on Monday night, Nov. 7. That game follows their Week 8 open date, which is the week after their scheduled trip to London's Wembley Stadium to play the Buccaneers. That is considered a home game for the Bucs and will be played at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium if there is not a labor agreement by Aug. 1.

In four prime-time games last season the Bears went 3-1. They were 2-0 on Monday night, 1-0 on Thursday night and 0-1 on Sunday night. Under Smith, the Bears are 6-1 on Monday Night Football and 7-7 on Sunday Night Football.

Aside from division foes, the Bears play three teams they faced last season. They defeated the Eagles 31-26 and the Panthers 23-6 in 2010, but lost a 23-20 home game to the Seahawks, which they will have a chance to avenge at Soldier Field in Week 16.

Ÿ Follow Bob's Bears reports via Twitter @Bob LeGere and check out our Bear Essentials blog at dailyherald.com.