Chicago Bears aren't crediting 'easy schedule' for 7-1 start

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith doesn't believe that the Bears are only 7-1 thanks to an easy first-half schedule. The combined record of Chicago's first eight opponents is 27-39, but despite that fact Smith says, "you are what your record says you are. We're a 7-1 football team."

Things will get tougher for the Bears in the second half of the season as their next eight opponents have a combined record of 42-27 at this point in the season. Chicago's tough second half begins this Sunday when they host the 7-1 Houston Texans.

Of the Bears' supposedly easy first-half schedule, defensive lineman Corey Wootton said, "This is the NFL, no game is easy." The Bears' defense has been particularly impressive thus far, allowing only 15.0 points per game and forcing a league-leading 28 turnovers and plus-16 differential. That could change in the second half, as none of the Bears' first eight opponents have a positive turnover differential on the season, but six of their final eight opponents do have a positive differential.