Back when the schedule first came out everyone took shots at predicting the week-by-week results for a given team, and the Bears looked capable of double-digit wins based on Ben Johnson's offensive expertise.
The league's toughest schedule according to opposing 2025 winning percentages didn't look like enough to slow down what Johnson had built at Halas Hall with Caleb Williams.
Those winning percentages and preseason schedule ratings frequently mean little, anyway, because teams can change drastically from year to year in the NFL. Before last season, the Bears' schedule was ranked tied for second toughest at .571, but when it ended they actually had played the fourth easiest schedule.
The league's toughest winning percentage for this year is still standing out there as an arbitrary number but things have changed. They've changed a great deal since the schedule first came out. Those predictions were made without the ingredients put into the mix, or more specifically the full roster.
the call it the Bears Taxand we'll see if it's repealed in a few daysthe last 4 years, Bears opponents vs Chicago's DEF had the:#1 fewest penalties#1 fewest penalty yardsmeanwhile, the Bears offense was awarded the #1 fewest 1st downs via penaltyhttps://t.co/UIths3qU7s— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 2, 2026Now we know what's involved on all ends. What has changed most for the Bears is the loss of a key component on defense in safety Coby Bryant. They have not successfully replaced him. It's obvious. They also have not adequately replaced Kyler Gordon, the football player who would not heal.
