A Bear of a Schedule

One of the few downsides to winning your division with a 13-3 record is earning a much tougher schedule the following season. By the look of the Bears’ 2007 regular schedule released today, the players and fans won’t have to wake up so early on game days. Ten of the team’s 16 games will be played in the late afternoon or evening, including a Monday night affair against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 17. Also, for the third consecutive season, the Bears will open on the road, this time against the San Diego Chargers. In addition to playing two games against their division rivals – the Vikings, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers – the Bears also face Philadelphia, Dallas, Kansas City, Seattle, Denver, N.Y. Giants, Washington, Oakland and New Orleans.