Chicago Bears 2018 Schedule: Who They Play And When This Season

CHICAGO, IL — So how does the first-time head coach Matt Nagy get to start his inaugural season with the Chicago Bears? By facing Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday night. Welcome to the NFL, Matt.¹

In fact, the Bears play their first two games of the 2018 season in primetime, following up the Packers with the Seattle Seahawks on "Monday Night Football," according to the schedule released by the NFL on Thursday night. It's the first time Chicago has ever started a season with consecutive primetime games.

Besides the primetime games, the Bears have one more high-profile contest during this upcoming season. They play the Detroit Lions for the first game on Thanksgiving Day.

Nagy might receive a rough welcome from the other teams in the NFC North, but Chicago could be providing its own hard-nosed introduction thanks to the acquisition of Khalil Mack, arguably one of the best defensive players in the NFL. The Oakland Raiders traded the outside linebacker to the Bears, who signed him to a six-year, $141 million deal.²

Here's a rundown of Chicago's 2018 schedule, including preseason results (broadcast networks in parentheses):

Preseason

Aug. 9: Baltimore Ravens 17, Bears 16

Aug. 9: Cincinnati Bengals 30, Bears 27

Aug. 18: Bears 24, Denver Broncos 23

Aug. 25: Bears 27, Kansas City Chiefs 20

Aug. 30: Buffalo Bills 28, Bears 27

Regular Season

Sept. 9: at Green Bay Packers, 7:20 p.m. ("Sunday Night Football," NBC)

Sept. 17: vs. Seattle Seahawks, 7:15 p.m. ("Monday Night Football," ESPN)

Sept. 23: at Arizona Cardinals, 3:25 p.m. (Fox)

Sept. 30: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, noon (Fox)

Oct. 7: Bye Week

Oct. 14: at Miami Dolphins, noon (Fox)

Oct. 21: vs. New England Patriots, noon (CBS)

Oct. 28: vs. New York Jets, noon (CBS)

Nov. 4: at Buffalo Bills, noon (Fox)

Nov. 11: vs. Detroit Lions, noon (Fox)

Nov. 18: vs. Minnesota Vikings, noon (Fox)

Nov. 22: at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving Day), 11:30 a.m. (CBS)

Dec. 2: at New York Giants, noon (Fox)

Dec. 9: vs. Los Angeles Rams, noon (Fox)

Dec. 16: vs. Green Bay Packers, noon (Fox)

Dec. 23: at San Francisco 49ers, 3:05 p.m. (Fox)

Dec. 30: at Minnesota Vikings, noon (Fox)

YOUR TURN: How do you think the Chicago Bears will do this season? What will their final record for 2018 be? Will they make the playoffs? Leave your predictions in the comments section.

¹Yes, technically, Nagy has been around the NFL for a while as a coach with the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, but you get the idea.

²The contract has $90 million in guaranteed money, and it makes Mack the highest paid defensive player in NFL history.

Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. (Photo by Adam Bettcher | Getty Images)