2017 Chicago Bears schedule released

The 2017 NFL Draft is just a week away in Philadelphia as the next step in the NFL’s long offseason. The Bears will be looking to improve on a dismal 2016 season in which they finished 3-13. But 2017′s schedule already looks like a tough one. Ahead of the official release of the 2017 schedule with a special on NFL Network on Thursday, the schedule has leaked and the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs revealed it early Thursday afternoon. The Bears will open the 2017 campaign hosting the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field in Week 1. They will play two primetime games this season traveling to Green Bay in Week 4 for a Thursday Night Football contest. In Week 5, the Bears will host the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. It’s similar to their 2016 campaign in which they played at Green Bay on Thursday night then hosted the Vikings on Monday Night Football. It’s also the seventh-straight year the Bears will play a primetime game in Green Bay. They are 2-4 in that stretch. Here is the full schedule to be officially announced Thursday night: Week 1: vs. Atlanta Week 2: @ Tampa Bay Week 3: vs. Pittsburgh Week 4: @ Green Bay (TNF) Week 5: vs. Minnesota (MNF) Week 6: @ Baltimore Week 7: vs. Carolina Week 8: @ New Orleans Week 9: BYE Week 10: vs. Green Bay Week 11: vs. Detroit Week 12: @ Philadelphia Week 13: vs. San Francisco Week 14: @ Cincinnati Week 15: @ Detroit (Saturday) Week 16: vs. Cleveland Week 17: @ Minnesota A quick look says that the Bears have a tough schedule in 2017. They have back-to-back home games just once, coming in Week 10 and 11. What are your thoughts on the schedule? Let us know in comments.