Chicago will kick off its 2025 NFL season with a marquee Monday Night Football matchup, hosting the Minnesota Vikings in an early NFC North divisional contest. Optimism and hope revolve around both squads, with 2nd-year quarterback JJ McCarthy set to make his NFL debut and new Bears head coach Ben Johnson ready to bring a new attitude to the Windy City.
Minnesota is coming off of a stellar 2024 season in which it posted a 14-3 record in the regular season. The departure of Sam Darnold and emergence of the inexperienced JJ McCarthy as starting QB has Vikings fans intrigued. Aside from the question mark at the most important position, the Viking roster is fantastic; perhaps improved upon from last year. We shall see what JJ can do with it.
In Chicago, the addition of Ben Johnson–the prized possession of this offseasons’ coaching pool–at head coach has sparked great optimism. In addition, the offensive line has been heavily revamped and Johnson added a dangerous weapon in TE Colston Loveland in the draft.
One major headline in this matchup is “Ben Johnson v. Brian Flores”. Both have been widely regarded as the cream of the crop in their respective coordinator positions over the past few seasons. Interestingly however, Johnson is 4-0 in their prior meetings, having put up 30+ points in each game.
Keys to the Game
Bears
- Prepare for Flores Madness
For Chicago, the first key to success is minimizing Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ affect. Flores is known for calling heaping amounts of blitzes (38.9% blitz percentage in 2024–1st in NFL). This worked well last season, as Minnesota finished 1st in pressures and 4th in sacks, led by Jonathan Grennard and Andrew Van Ginkel on the edges.
Ben Johnson and new offensive line coach Dan Roushar are tasked with preparing the new line and QB Caleb Williams for the blitz madness they will inevitably face. Williams needs to be able to recognize potential blitzers pre-snap and shift the offensive line accordingly. Newly acquired center Drew Dalman (finished 4th/40 qualified centers in PFF grade last year) and future Hall of Fame guard Joe Thuney (finished 7th/77 qualified guards in PFF grade last year) will also need to be on high alert and looking to assist Caleb.
If Williams and the line are able to pick up Minnesota’s blitzes more often than not, rewards should be plentiful. PFF ranks the Vikings secondary at 27th heading into the season.
- Frazzle JJ McCarthy
On the other side of the ball, Chicago could greatly improve its chances of a Week 1 victory by rattling McCarthy. As we all know, this will be the young QB’s first NFL start. Although he is used to bright lights from his National Championship at Michigan, Monday Night Football in your first NFL appearance doesn’t rank very far behind. If the Chicago defense can get an couple of sacks, or if the strong secondary can nab an early interception, JJ might start seeing ghosts.
To avoid this, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell will probably scheme up quick, easy throws for JJ to rely on. I would also expect WR Justin Jefferson–arguably the best in the league–to be the intended target of many of these plays (if he is healthy enough to suit up). The Bears would be smart to bracket/double cover Jefferson for most of the game in order to take McCarthy’s security blanket away, especially with the suspension of WR2 Jordan Addison.
Vikings
- Get to Caleb Williams Early and Often
To leave Soldier Field with a win on Monday night, Minnesota will need to get to Caleb Williams early and often. Last season, Williams developed some bad habits stemming from the (warranted) distrust of his offensive line. If the Vikings can grab an early sack or QB hit, Caleb may feel like it’s last year all over again and fall into old habits.
- Make Things Easy for JJ
The performance of JJ McCarthy is going to be a massive X-factor in the outcome of this game. If he plays well, the rest of the Vikings roster is strong enough that Chicago would probably have a difficult time overcoming it. To ensure JJ does play well, O’Connell will need to make things easy for him. KOC is one of the best coaches in the NFL and is known for his ability to mold quarterbacks and work to their strengths, so I expect a well-developed plan out of the Vikings. McCarthy will likely be equipped with a highly rehearsed first 15 plays that include quick, easy passes that require little decision-making.
If star WR Justin Jefferson plays (he is currently questionable due to injury), he will be huge for McCarthy. Jefferson has an insane knack for getting open, and he will play a significant role in providing the young QB with easy throws.