Sunday, September 13th
Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers, 1:00 PM ET
The NFC North and NFC South winners from 2025 square off in Carolina in Week 1. The Bears ended up winning 11 games primarily thanks to a defense that generated a ton of turnovers and an offense that thrived in late-game situations.
One year after Caleb Williams' rookie season ended and nothing seemed to be working, some have the Bears as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The offense isn't the thing to worry about, as the defense was a bad unit on a down-to-down basis, so that unit being just average in 2026 would be awesome for the Bears' chances, and Williams' growth in year two with Ben Johnson could be special.
The Bears simply have a lot to be optimistic about. The Panthers, on the other hand, are coming off a division-winning season, but also won just eight games, and losing teams have a lot to fix - that's why they were losing teams.
On paper, the Panthers just don't threaten you much of anywhere, and I would include the QB in that discussion. Bryce Young played the best football of his career in 2025, but he threw for at least 200 yards in just four games and went just 8-8 as a starter.
The Panthers aren't a team to worry about in any capacity in 2026. Chicago is the better team and should be able to walk into Carolina and earn a victory. Chicago's offensive line matches up well with the Panthers' defensive line, and there is a significant gap in QB talent between Williams and Young.
The Bears win this one by 13 points in our Week 1 predictions, and Williams likely has a prolific day through the air with multiple touchdown passes. His completion percentage is certainly something to keep an eye on throughout the season.
Prediction: Chicago wins 30-17
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