Week 1 picks: Who the experts are taking in Bears vs. Panthers - Bears Wire
The Chicago Bears will open the 2026 NFL season against the Carolina Panthers, where they're looking to start the year off with a victory.
Chicago is coming off an impressive first season under head coach Ben Johnson, where the team went from worst to first with an 11-6 record, winning the NFC North for the first time in eight years and winning a playoff game for the first time in nearly two decades. Meanwhile, the Panthers are coming off an 8-9 season, which included a pivotal Week 18 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to secure the NFC South division title and their first trip to the playoffs in nearly a decade.
The Bears are road favorites against the Panthers. But what do the experts think? Here's a look:
Experts overwhelmingly believe the Bears will beat the Panthers in Week 1. Here’s how the final tally looks:
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