Bodog Beat

With former Denver QB Jay Cutler under center, the Bears are once again contenders for the NFC North crown. (AP Images)

Depending on what Brett Favre tells the Vikings by July 30, the Bears could be favored to unseat Minnesota atop the NFC North this year thanks to the NFL’s biggest offseason acquisition: Jay Cutler.

The Bears, 9-7 last year, have been looking for a franchise quarterback for decades – sorry, Jim McMahon wasn’t one – and finally appear to have landed him in Cutler. It cost plenty, including two first-round picks and Kyle Orton, but now the Windy City has a Pro Bowler whose arm is strong enough to deal with the windy/wintry conditions at Soldier Field.

Cutler’s arrival doesn’t solve every problem, but it sure seems to cover them up. Chicago’s offensive line still could be a question unless Orlando Pace can stay healthy, and that might be asking a lot. And the receiving corps is a question mark behind Devin Hester. However, you can look for tight end Greg Olsen to be the main beneficiary of Cutler’s throws; I’d be willing to bet Olson is a Pro Bowler this year, and he might help make up for the lack of good receivers. Also expect second-year running back Matt Forte to see plenty of throws, too.

Chicago’s defense still has enough talent to be a major factor, and this team has some of the best special teams in the league, even with Hester only returning punts.

Basically, everything seems in place for a potential Super Bowl run, especially the schedule – it all depends on the former Denver Bronco signal-caller.

Here is the Bears’ 2009 schedule, and we’ll break it down after:

Sept. 13 at Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m.

Sept. 20 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 27 at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 p.m.

Oct. 4 vs. Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.

Week 5: Bye

Oct. 18 at Atlanta Falcons, 8:20 p.m.

Oct. 25 at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.

Nov. 1 vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.

Nov. 8 vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m.

Nov. 12 at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m.

Nov. 22 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m.

Nov. 29 at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.

Dec. 6 vs. St. Louis Rams, 1 p.m.

Dec. 13 vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.

Dec. 20 at Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.

Dec. 28 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 8:20 p.m.

Jan. 3 at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.

Strength of schedule: 32^nd (opponents combined to go 105-149-2, .414, in 2008)

Projected record: 11-5

Bodog over/under total: 8 1/2

Bodog odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: 18/1

Wow, Bodog doesn’t seem to think the Bears will be anywhere near as good  as I do, but I certainly recommend the over 8 ½ even if I’m being a little overly optimistic.

I believe Chicago will go 2-1 in September. The Bears open on the road for the fifth year in a row and 31^st time overall against Green Bay. Chicago has an NFL-high 50 opening-day victories and its .590 winning percentage is fourth-best in the NFL all time. So I think the Bears pull the mini-upset in Green Bay. Not sure Cutler and Co. will be quite in sync enough to handle the Super Bowl champs in Week 2, but the Seahawks shouldn’t pose many problems in Week 3. By the way, that Pittsburgh visit is the Steelers’ first since Nov. 5, 1995, ending the longest regular-season drought away from the Windy City for any NFL team.

A 2-1 month in October also appears likely, with games against sad-sacks Detroit and Cincinnati. Chicago could definitely win in Atlanta, as the Bears will be coming off a bye and should have won there last year before a mental breakdown in the final seconds. But let’s say the Falcons take care of business at home.

Cleveland and Arizona won’t be favored in Chicago to start November, and the Bears win both of those. I can see the 49ers pulling the upset after that – it’s a long trip west for the Bears, and San Francisco coach Mike Singletary will have his club pumped against Singletary’s former team. Then Chicago faces 2008 playoff teams back-to-back for one of only two times all season in Philly and Minnesota. Call it a home-road split, so Chicago is 7-4.

Other than that game at Baltimore, Chicago should be favored in every December game (barring injuries, as always). And I see the Bears winning every game but that Ravens matchup to finish at 11-5 and edge the Vikings for the NFC North, possibly by tiebreaker.

If the postseason bracket falls right — if the Bears get at least a No. 2 seed – Chicago looks to me very much like it can reach the NFC Championship Game but probably fall a game short of the Super Bowl.

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