Bears 2026 Schedule Shows Advantage In Coaching Personnel for Chicago

Dennis Allen’s history against NFC South teams and Chicago’s defensive upgrades could give the Bears a major advantage in 2026.

May 9, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen (L), general manager Ryan Poles (C) and head coach Ben Johnson (R) observe during the Rookie Minicamp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Bears have known who they will face during the 2026 season for awhile but one major advantage may already be flying under the radar.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen spent 14 seasons with the New Orleans Saints across multiple coaching roles, including defensive coordinator and head coach. That experience could become extremely valuable considering the Bears will face the entire NFC South next season.

Chicago is set to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Saints. Few coaches in the NFL understand those teams, organizations and offensive tendencies better than Allen.

Dennis Allen’s NFC South Success

Jul 23, 2025; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen speaks during training camp at Halas Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

During his lengthy run in New Orleans, Allen consistently coached against NFC South opponents and found success within the division. Across his time as either the Saints defensive coordinator or head coach, Allen finished with a 36-24 record against NFC South teams.

That experience becomes even more notable when looking at some of the offenses Allen helped slow down over the years.

The Saints regularly gave Tampa Bay problems during Tom Brady’s tenure with the Buccaneers, including a few low-scoring performances against Allen-led defenses. New Orleans consistently fielded one of the NFL’s more disciplined and physical defensive units during Allen’s run as a coordinator, especially in divisional matchups.

That familiarity matters.

The Bears are entering year 2 under head coach Ben Johnson, but Allen’s knowledge of NFC South personnel, offensive systems and coaching tendencies could help accelerate Chicago’s transition defensively.

Chicago also appears to have better personnel suited for the style of defense Allen wants to run next season as well.

A healthy Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson should help stabilize the secondary, while the Bears also added much-needed speed throughout all three levels of the defense this offseason. That combination of experience, versatility and speed could allow Allen to be far more aggressive defensively in 2026.

The Bears emphasized adding athleticism this offseason and to no surprise the Bears had the most athletic draft class in the entire league.

Bears 2026 Schedule

Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs onto the field during player introductions before an NFC Divisional Round game against the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Chicago’s full 2026 home schedule includes the Lions, Packers, Vikings, Buccaneers, Eagles, Jaguars, Jets, Patriots and Saints.

Their road schedule includes the Lions, Packers, Vikings, Bills, Dolphins, Falcons, Panthers and Seahawks.

The Bears and the NFC North will face the entire NFC South and AFC East next season, but Chicago may have one of the biggest built-in advantages thanks to Allen’s background.

While much of the attention surrounding the Bears remains focused on Caleb Williams and Johnson’s offense, Allen’s experience against several opponents in 2026 could become one of the more underrated storylines entering the season.

For a team hoping to take another major step forward, every edge matters.