Five Bold Predictions for Bears vs. Bills

Finally, mercifully, the 2014 NFL season is here and once again the Chicago Bears will be on the field. It has been a long and winding offseason for the Bears as they try to catch up to the Green Bay Packers and return to the playoffs.

The offense is entering its second year after a record-breaking season, returning all its starters and hopefully building upon what they did last season. The defense has been retooled and, while many of the questions surrounding the group have not been answered, the hope is that once the regular season starts they will improve and gel together into a unit that is good enough.

The journey of the 2014 season begins on Sunday with the Buffalo Bills coming to town. The Bills are a team that many fans are excited to see early in the year because of the tough schedule the Bears have in the first half of the season.

Clarity should begin to form on Sunday and hopefully no one gets too high or too low based on any one thing that happens Sunday. There still isn't anything known about how good or bad a team is in Week 1.

That said, I still want to go ahead and make some bold predictions about Sunday's game based on what I know about the Bears, as well as what I think is possible.

1) Chris Conte intercepts a pass - The much maligned safety said he expects to be booed at Soldier Field. He will be, however he will make a great play on a ball and be cheered for it.

2) Jay Cutler will throw for 350+ yards - Cutler has thrown for more than 350 yards only three times in a Bears uniform, and only once in a win. However, he gets his third game on Sunday.

3) The first TD of the Bears' season will be scored by Cutler... on the ground - Because it's easy to predict a Matt Forte or Brandon Marshall TD. Cutler last scored a rushing TD in 2011.

4) The Bears secondary will get burned by Sammy Watkins - Watkins is supposed to be one of the most exciting rookies in some time and despite a shaky QB, he will get a 40+ yard touchdown reception.

5) Bears win by two touchdowns - Maybe not the boldest prediction but I think that the Bears take care of the Bills handily on Sunday and the lakefront is rocking as the Bears cruise to a 35-20 win.

And a bonus one, just for kicks, Alshon Jeffery leads the Bears in receiving yards, not Brandon Marshall. Oh and we see the endaround at least twice, but that's not even a bold prediction...

Do you have any bold predictions for Sunday?