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Breaking Down Chicago Bears’ Opponents For 2015 NFL Season

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Breaking Down Chicago Bears' Opponents For 2015 NFL Season

Chicago Bears v Minnesota Vikings Matt Forte
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We are still about two months away from the 2015 NFL schedule being released, but the opponents that each team will face and where these games will be located is official. The Bears are coming off a 5-11 season but looking to bounce back under a new regime with Ryan Pace and John Fox. Here's a breakdown of the Chicago Bears' 2015 opponents and rank them from their easiest game to their most difficult.

13. Oakland Raiders- Home

Derek Carr Oakland raiders
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13. Oakland Raiders- Home

Derek Carr Oakland Raiders
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One of these days the Raiders might be a dominant force in the AFC again, but it won’t be in 2015. Derek Carr showed some promise as a rookie. Although he didn’t turn it over much the last month of the season, he was wildly inconsistent with his throws. Expect the Raiders to be at the bottom of the AFC West and circle this one as a win for Chicago.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Road

Lovie Smith Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Road

Lovie Smith Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The Lovie Bowl II will take place in 2015. The Bears were victorious in 2014 over Tampa in an ugly game, and this time it’ll be on the road. The Bucs are going to draft either Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota with the first pick and throw them into the fire. This is a very winnable game for Chicago, especially if it’s in September when the rookie QB is still very raw.

11. Washington Redskins

Alfred Morris Washington Redskins
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11. Washington Redskins

Alfred Morris Washington Redskins
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You keep waiting for the Redskins to return to the form they had a couple years ago as they have some talent on the roster. But with their QB situation in flux, questions surrounding the coach and his relationship with ownership and all the problems around RGIII, you have to expect another long season in D.C. This is another very winnable game on the schedule.

10. San Francisco 49ers- Home

Colin Kaepernick SF 49ers
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10. San Francisco 49ers- Home

Colin Kaepernick SF 49ers
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This is a very interesting season for the Niners. With no Jim Harbaugh, I expect this team to take significant steps backwards. The 49ers were in turmoil last year and stumbled to an 8-8 record, and I think this year 8-8 is a best-case scenario for them. With this game in Chicago, there’s no reason why the Bears can’t win this game.

9. Minnesota Vikings- Home & Road

Anthony Barr Minnesota Vikings
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9. Minnesota Vikings- Home & Road

Anthony Barr Minnesota Vikings
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The first of divisional opponents, the Vikings are going in the right direction. Mike Zimmer had them overachieve last year and will continue to build the defense. With a developing Teddy Bridgewater and the potential return of Adrian Peterson, the Bears shouldn’t expect any better than a split with Minnesota.

8. St. Louis Rams- Road

Tre Mason St Louis Rams
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8. St. Louis Rams- Road

Tre Mason St Louis Rams
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Who is going to be at quarterback for the Rams? That is a major question surrounding this team. The Rams went 6-10 last year, but with a legitimate QB they might have gone 9-7. Will they stick with Sam Bradford coming off yet another major injury or go in another direction? This game won’t be easy, but the Bears could definitely win if they play well.

7. Arizona Cardinals- Home

Arizona Cardinals Patrick Peterson
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7. Arizona Cardinals- Home

Arizona Cardinals Patrick Peterson
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The Cardinals were the surprise team of the year in 2015 nearly winning the NFC West. With some talent on offense and an excellent defense, they will be a playoff contender again this season. Their downfall last year was the QB position, and even if they are healthy this year, Carson Palmer won’t scare anybody. With the game at home, the Bears can win this, but it won’t be a walk in the park.

6. Detroit Lions- Home & Road

Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions
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6. Detroit Lions- Home & Road

Calvin Johnson Minnesota Vikings
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The Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions last year signified the start of the complete collapse of the Bears (they lost their last five). The Lions are a good team, but they aren’t unstoppable. They will be contending for the playoffs, but with an improved team in Chicago, the Bears should aim at splitting with Detroit.

5. San Diego Chargers- Road

Philip Rivers San Diego Chargers
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5. San Diego Chargers- Road

Philip Rivers San Diego Chargers
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The Chargers were 8-4 after an emotional win against Baltimore and poised to make the playoffs. Then they collapsed, losing three of their last four to finish 9-7 and miss the postseason. The Chargers will be a borderline playoff team again in 2015. With this game in San Diego, the Bears have a chance at victory, but will most likely be making the long flight back to Chicago with their heads hanging down.

4. Denver Broncos- Home

Peyton Manning Denver Broncos
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4. Denver Broncos- Home

Peyton Manning Denver Broncos
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The Broncos are an interesting team in 2015. Peyton Manning wants to return, but which Manning will we see? Will we see the MVP-caliber QB we’ve known for most of his career or the aging QB who didn’t look right the second half of the season? Either way, with plenty of weapons on offense and a strong defense, John Fox is most likely looking at a loss against his former team.

3. Kansas City Chiefs- Road

Jamaal Charles Kansas City Chiefs
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3. Kansas City Chiefs- Road

Jamaal Charles Kansas City Chiefs
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Winning at Arrowhead is never simple. With Andy Reid running the show and the Bears having to chase a dynamic runner like Jamaal Charles for 60 minutes, this is one of those games that does not bode well for the Bears. Somehow the Tennessee Titans were one of two teams to go into Arrowhead and win last year, so of course there’s always a chance for Chicago. But again, a win is highly unlikely.

2. Green Bay Packers- Home & Road

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers NFC Championship
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2. Green Bay Packers- Home & Road

Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers NFC Championship
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Sigh. The Packers. These guys are the Bears' arch rival and the team they cannot beat. Last year they weren’t even competitive. Is it worth mentioning that Green Bay outscored them 93 to 31 in two games last year? Ouch. If Aaron Rodgers is under center for both games there is no point to even hope. Both contests will be losses in 2015.

1. Seattle Seahawks- Road

Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl
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1. Seattle Seahawks- Road

Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl
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The Bears' toughest game in 2015, tougher than even heading to Lambeau Field, will be when they travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seahawks. The back-to-back defending NFC Champions are unstoppable at home with a record of 22-2 over the past three seasons. As much as I would love to have a reason the Bears could win this game, I can’t think of one. This one could get ugly.

Bill Zimmerman is a Chicago Bears writer for www.RantSports.Com. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

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