- REWATCH: Vikings-Bears on NFL+ Premium
- READ: O'Connell on McCarthy leading comeback win: 'Now, we know it's possible'
- McCarthy settles in and delivers. For three quarters, J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings' chosen quarterback of the future, looked much like his lack of experience suggested: green. The speed of the game appeared to be too much for McCarthy to handle in his first NFL start and the same was true of his responsibilities as the conductor of the offense. Minnesota's offense was a no-show, reaching the fourth quarter with just 85 total yards while struggling with the basic pre-snap operation on nearly a play-by-play basis. Then, a questionable pass interference penalty and a much-needed simplification of the Minnesota offense sparked McCarthy, who took the electricity and detonated Chicago's defense. Those who watched McCarthy at Michigan would recognize this version of the quarterback, as he fired accurate, fearless passes that included his first scoring toss through a tighter-than-usual window, delivering a strike to Aaron Jones for another score and then taking off on a 14-yard run to give the Vikings a 10-point lead in seemingly the blink of an eye. The turnaround was stunning, and much of it depended on McCarthy's intestinal fortitude. After three ugly quarters, the fourth showed us why Kevin O'Connell was confident that McCarthy was his man.
- Bears run out of gas on the freeway. It's been a while since I've seen a high-flying team reach the fourth quarter of a game they'd dominated only to realize they'd prematurely exhausted their fuel, but we saw it Monday night. A Chicago defense that was manhandling Minnesota's offensive line in the first half wilted in the fourth quarter, and save for Montez Sweat's bat down of a McCarthy red zone pass, Chicago's front -- which had harassed McCarthy for much of the night -- disappeared. Conversely, Minnesota's defensive line -- which had pressured Caleb Williams but wasn't consistently causing issues in the first half -- suddenly looked as if it had been injected with superhuman strength, owning the interior and denying the Bears of any chance to move the football while they clung to their lead. That shift in one quarter was enough to completely flip the script of a game that seemed to be in Chicago's control, leading to a heartbreaking -- and shocking -- defeat. There are things to like, but the result is a bitter pill to swallow for a fanbase that was having a whole lot of fun for the first 45 minutes of action.
- Minnesota's two-man backfield is dangerous. After a very successful first season in Minnesota, Aaron Jones and the Vikings were able to extend their partnership with a new deal in 2025. What most might not have expected, however, was how his role would change in the new season. Jordan Mason's arrival has bumped Jones out of the bell cow role and preserved him for maximum impact as a pass-catching back, a plan that worked wonderfully during Minnesota's fourth-quarter comeback when Jones ran an excellent choice fade route that gave McCarthy an open target for a crucial score. Mason, meanwhile, handled the rugged responsibilities of a between-the-tackles hammer, bringing much-needed balance to the unit and calming down McCarthy at just the right time, opening the door for the second-year signal-caller to play instinctively and power their scoring assault. Vikings fans have reason to feel nervous about their situation at receiver right now, but if Minnesota can control the game on the ground with these two backs, the absence of Jordan Addison, who served the first of a three-game suspension, will be less noticeable in the next two weeks.
- Chicago's revamped offensive line fails first test. The Bears made very intentional efforts to improve their starting five up front after subjecting Williams to frequent harassment during his rookie season, and initially, the results were positive. Though it didn't hold up perfectly, the unit was stout enough to buy Williams time to make plays on the Bears' opening scoring drive. But in the second half, cracks in the blocking unit were visible from the Willis Tower. Williams was pressured 15 times (for a rate of 34.9%), Chicago couldn't run the ball effectively all night and Williams wasn't afforded enough time to consistently deliver on-time, accurate passes in order to preserve its lead. The quarterback's accuracy waned in the second half, further hindering their offense, and once the time came for Chicago to mount a miraculous comeback, all Williams could do was try to play Superman with his legs (save for a missed deep shot to DJ Moore). If Chicago and Williams are going to take a step or two forward in their first season under head coach Ben Johnson, the Bears will need this unit to be better than they were Monday night.
- Welcome back to the stage, Brian Flores. Week 1 is often a feeling-out period for most NFL teams in terms of matchup and outlook, and the Vikings were not above that reality Monday night. Williams completed his first 10 passes, ripping a highlight-worthy pass to Rome Odunze and finishing the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run in a sequence that seemed to leave the Vikings scrambling for answers. But by halftime -- and especially in the third quarter -- Brian Flores complicated the picture significantly enough to slow down Williams' processing, short-circuiting Chicago's offense, which relied too heavily on checkdown passes that produced few positive gains in the final two quarters. All of this was the product of the Vikings' respected defensive coordinator's creativity and selective aggression that has defined his career and propelled the Vikings last season. When Andrew Van Ginkel nearly jumped a quick receiver screen attempt, it was clear Flores was winning the chess match by a wide margin. His feel for the game and his personnel played a big part in Minnesota's comeback and will be a key to it finding success in future weeks.
Next Gen Stats Insights for Vikings-Bears (NFL Pro): In their Vikings debut, Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen generated six pressures each, with Hargrave also recording two sacks and two quick pressures (under 2.5 seconds). They did so despite being double-teamed at 41.9% and 47.1% rates, respectively. All three of the Bears’ newly acquired interior linemen (Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman and Jonah Jackson) yielded at least four pressures to the duo alone.
NFL Research: J.J. McCarthy is the first player since Cam Newton with two-plus passing touchdowns and one or more rushing touchdowns in his NFL debut.
