Chicago Bears visiting Las Vegas next season with NFL schedule boost

By Case Keefer (contact)

Tuesday, March 30, 2021 | 1:02 p.m.

The Las Vegas Raiders added an extra home game for next season on Tuesday — and it’s one locals might be particularly excited for.

The Chicago Bears will visit Allegiant Stadium to take on the Raiders this fall after the NFL officially enacted its plan to increase to a 17-game regular-season schedule next season. For years, the Bears had ranked near the top of lists of biggest NFL fanbases in Las Vegas but it appeared the franchise wouldn’t visit Las Vegas until 2027 under the league’s old schedule setup.

That changes with the one-game expansion of the regular season, which will also diminish the preseason from four to three games. Every team’s extra game will consist of an out-of-conference opponent that finished in the same spot in the standings last season.

Chicago wound up second in the NFC North last season by going 8-8, an identical record and place as Las Vegas in the AFC West. The AFC and NFC will switch off which teams host the extra game, with the former getting the first assignment in 2021.

That means the Raiders will have nine home games this season with coach Jon Gruden surely emphasizing a winning home record as a key to the season. The Raiders went only 2-6 at Allegiant Stadium in their inaugural season including a loss in each of the last four.

Fans were not allowed at the games, of course, and the hope is a homefield advantage could develop if the "Black Hole" returns in a new venue in 2021.

The full NFL schedule with dates will be announced next month. The Raiders and Bears have played 15 times in franchise history with the former holding an 8-7 edge despite losing 24-21 in London in 2019 the last time the two teams faced.

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.