Vikings 27 vs 24 Bears summary, stats, scores and highlights | Monday Night Football Week 1

Williams and the offense went cold after the opening drive TD, and only turned it on once it was too late. They made a half hearted attempt at a comeback but the VIkings were able to run the clock down to 16 seconds after this TD pass and wrap up the road win in Chicago. Williaims went 21/35 for 210 yards and a TD, but didn't do much in the second half as McCarthy stole the show on Monday Night Football. 

McCarthy showed improvements in the passing game as the game went on, but he didn't break out his scrambling ability until late in the game. On 3rd and 1 with a chance to make it a two possession game McCarthy took it on a QB keeper and sealed the game with a 14 yard run to seal an incredible comeback win over a division rival on the road. He went 13/20 for 143 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT in his debut and first game in the NFC North. 

The Vikings got great field position again after a punt return stated their drive around the 50. Just a few plays later, McCarthy found Aaron Jones on the wheel route for a 27 yard TD to put the Vikings up by a point. They went for the two point conversion but Ed Oliver was chopped down short of the goal line and the Bears still had a chance, but thier offense was held in check until the game was essentially over. 

Everything changed in the fourth quarter after Nick Santos missed a 50 yard field goal that would have put the Bears up two TDs. Instead, Minnesota got great field position and and McCarthy locked in from there on out. He connected with Justin Jefferson for the first of many TDs those two will combine for over the years to come. 

The Bears went three and out on their first drive of the third quarter but the Bears defense came up with a big play that looked like it was going to bury the Vikings early in the second half. Former Viking Nahshon Wright jumped the route and picked off McCarthy taking it back 74 yards and putting the home side up 17-6. 

Nothing was really working for the Vikings in the first half, and their only scoring drive came off a pass interference call earlier in the half, but the the pass to Nailor and the 59 yard field goal from WIll Reichard turned the tides going into the second half. 

McCarthy looked like he was struggling to get into a groove in the first half, but this pass to Jalen Nailor seemed to ignite him for the second half. 

Williams came into the season with a few goals laid out. He wanted to throw for 4,000 yards and he wanted to complete 70% of his passes. He got off to a great start, going 10/10 to start the game, but went just 11/25 after that. 

The Minnesota Vikings went into hostile territory with a QB who was making his NFL debut and to stunned the Chicago Bears with a fourth quarter onslaught led by J.J. McCarthy. The first year QB threw for 143 yards, and two TDs most of which came in the second half. 

It wasn't the prettiest of starts for McCarthy or the Vikings defense who watch Caleb Williams and he Bears march right down the field and put an opening drive TD on the board. That was something they weren't able to do in any of their games last season, but things would go down hill from there for Chicago. 

IT'S ALL OVER!!!

Odunze's lateral couldn't be handled and the Vikings come back in spectacular fashion after a 21 point 4th quarter. 

Moore was motion and the shotgun snap hit him in the thigh. He recovered it but the flag flies for illegal shift. 

1s and 15 from the CHI 15. 

CHI get the ball back from their 20 with 16 seconds to go in the 4th quarter and no timeouts. 

Handoff to Mason and he picks up two yards and that brings up fourth down. 

There are 16 seconds between the game clock and the play clock. 

4th and 5 from the MIN 31. 

Mason gets the handoff and he is taken down for no gain. 

3rd and 7 from the MIN 29. 

Mason gets the handoff to the right side and he picks up 3 yards on the right side. Timeout CHI with 1:47 to go in the 4th quarter. 

2nd and 7 from the MIN 29. 

The Vikings return the kick to the 26 and more importantly that runs the clock past 2:00 so we are heading to the Two Minute Warning with the Bears having just one timeout left. 

It may be a case of too little too late for the Bears offense who had only scored 3 points since the opening drive until the 1 yard TD pass from Williams. 

Williams tucks it and runs for the pylon and he reaches for the goal line. It was called a TD initially but it will be marked down at the 1 yard line. 

1st and Goal from the 1. 

Williams looking for Moore over the middle, and that pass was incomplete but a roughing the passer flag will give Chicago 15 free yards 

1st and 10 from the MIN 14. 

Williams goes over the middle for Odunze and that pass was overthrown but a flag flies for illegal contact on MIN which gives the Bears a first down. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 29. 

Williams looks to Swift on the right side but that pass falls incomplete. 

3rd and 10 from the MIN 34. 

Williams had Moore open in the end zone but that pass was overthrown and that was a chance for CHI. 

2nd and 10 from the MIN 34. 

CHI get the ball from their 35 and Williams tosses a dime over the middle for Kmet who reels it in with one hand for a gain of 31 yards!

1st and 10 from the MIN 34. 

McCarthy has turned it on in the second half. We have seen him get comfortable in the passing game, but this is the first time we saw him use his feet and he takes it for a 14 yard TD run on 3rd down!

Timeout Chicago with 2:59 to go in the 4th quarter. 

McCarthy connects with Jefferson on a WR screen to the right side that goes for 10 yards. 

3rd and 1 from the CHI 14. 

Jones gets the handoff up the middle and he is stuffed by Sweat for a loss of a yard. 

2nd and 11 from the CHI 24. 

McCarthy finds Jones on the roll out to the right side and he turns up field for a gain of 11 yards. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 23. 

Jones to the left side on the first down run and he picks up four yards. 

2nd and 6 from the CHI 34. 

Jones up the middle and he moves the chains on a gain of 2 yards. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 38. 

McCarthy finds Hockenson on an out route to the right side and he picks up 9 yards. 

3rd and 1 from he CHI 40. 

Mason is stopped at the line for no gain on first down. 

2nd and 10 from the CHI 49. 

MIN get the ball back from their 32, and Mason breaks free with a run to the right side and he takes it for a 20 yard gain to start the drive. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 49. 

Out route from Kmet on the left side but that pass wasn't even close and the Bears will punt with 7:38 to go. 

4th and 14 from the CHI 43. 

Williams looked for Odunze on the right sideline with the corner route and it hit the WR in the hands, but he couldn't reel in the tough catch. 

3rd and 14 from the CHI 43. 

Williams escapes the pocket again, and looked to throw the ball away, but he stepped out of bounds for a four yard loss. 

2nd and 14 from the CHI 43. 

Odunze sits in the zone and makes the catch and turns up field for a 12 yard gain up the middle. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 47. 

CHI get the ball back from their 35 trailing for the first time tonight, and Swift is taken down at the line of scrimmage on the first down run. 

2nd and 10 from the CHI 35. 

For the second straight possession MIN get great field position and in just a few plays, McCarthy finds Jones on the 27 yard TD pass to put he Vikings in the lead!

McCarthy throws off his back foot looking for Nailor but that pass wasn't any where close but a pass interference call on CHI is going to give the Vikes a first down. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 27. 

McCarthy goes deep for Jefferson who had a crack at that pass but couldn't reel in the ball that went right through his hands. 

3rd and 1 from the CHI 41. 

Good return from Price who give the ball back to the offense at the 50. 

Jones gets the handoff to the right side and he picks up 9 yards on first down. 

2nd and 1 from the CHI 41. 

Williams quick throw to Odunze was almost picked by Van Ginkle and that would have been a pick six if he caught that pass. 

4th and 19 from the CHI 16 and the Bears will punt with 10:50 to go. 

Swift is stuffed by Wilson in the backfield for a loss of one. 

3rd and 19 from the CHI 16. 

Williams is dropped by Hargrave who came up the middle and sacked the QB for a loss of 8 yards. 

2nd and 18 from the CHI 17. 

CHI get the ball back from their 25 and their offense has shut off in this second half. Let's see if that changes on this drive. 

Great tackle from Owens to chop down Oliver short of the goal line and keep two points off the scoreboard. 

The Vikes got great field position after the missed field goal from Santos, and after a couple of nice runs from Mason, McCarthy hit Jefferson a couple times, the last of which was a 13 yard TD on 3rd down to cut the lead to 5. 

McCarthy fakes the pitch and rolls left before pass gets batted down by Sweat at the line of scrimmage. 

3rd and 5 from the CHI 13. 

Mason gets the handoff to the left side and he picks up 5 yards on first down. 

2nd and 5 from the CHI 13. 

McCarthy on the play action and he fires it to Jefferson on the left sideline for a 17 yard connection. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 18. 

Mason breaks a run on the right side and takes it for 17 yards and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 35. 

Mason gets the handoff to the right side and he picks up 7 yards on first down. 

2nd and 3 from the MIN 47. 

MISSED FIELD GOAL!!!

Santos misses the 50 yard field goal wide right and the Vikes will get good field position. 

1st and 10 Vikes from the MIN 40. 

WE ARE AT THE END OF THE THIRD QUARTER FROM CHICAGO!!!

Williams finds Zaccheaus over the middle and he picks up 12 yards to get back into field goal range. 

4h and 18 from the MIN 32. 

Williams was under pressure, escaped the pocket but tripped and threw the ball to the sideline, but that ball didn't cross the line of scrimmage and a flag flies for intentional grounding. 

3rd and 30 from the MIN 44. 

Williams looks over the middle for Kmet but that pass was fired too high for the TE. 

2nd and 20 from the MIN 34. 

Williams hits Swift on the left side for a gain of 12, but a holding call is going to bring that play back. 

1st and 20 from the MIN 34. 

After an offside on MIN, Swift gets the handoff to the left side and he fights for five yards and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 24. 

Swift up the middle and he cuts back to the left side, bursting into the secondary for a gain of 12 and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 34. 

Swift gets the toss to the left side and he picks up 2 yards on first down. 

2nd and 8 from the MIN 46. 

Williiams was under pressure but he races out of the pocket and takes it for 13 yards on a first down scramble to the right side. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 48. 

Swift up the middle and he gets 4 yards on first down. 

2nd and 6 from the CHI 39. 

Williams swings it out to Moore in the flat and he picks up the first down with a 2 yard gain on the left side. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 35. 

CHI get the ball back from their 24 and Swift fights his way for 9 yards on the handoff to the right side. 

2nd and 1 from the CHI 33. 

McCarthy hit Thielen in the hands on the comeback route for a first down, but that pass was punched out of his hands and falls incomplete. 

4th and 2 from the MIN 31 and the Vikes will punt with 5:52 to go in the third quarter. 

The call stands, and McCarthy sets up a screen for Jones for a gain of 6 yards on the left side. 

3rd and 2 from the MIN 31. 

MIN get the ball from their 23 and McCarthy goes play action before looking for Hockenson who reeled the ball in for a 2 yard gain. 

2nd and 8 from the MIN 25. 

CHI is going to challenge the call, but that look like they are going to lose that challenge. 

Loveland makes the catch on the left sideline after the short pas from Williams, but he is taken down well short of the marker. 

4th and 9 from he CHI 43 and the Bears will punt with 7:30 to go in the 3rd quarter. 

Williams pass to the left side to Zaccheaus is tipped at the line and batted down. 

3rd and 13 from the CHI 39. 

Williaims with a screen pass to Burden on the right side but that play was blown up by Van Ginkel for a loss of 3 yards. 

2nd and 13 from the CHI 39. 

Williams on the play action and he looks down the left sideline for Moore who reels it in for a gain of 22. yards. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 42. 

CHI get the ball back from their 20 yard line and Swfit gets the toss to the right side but he is stopped for no gain. 

2nd and 10 from the CHI 20. 

After a delay of game on MIN, Mason gets the handoff out of he shotgun and he is dropped for a loss of two yards by Dexter. 

Quick drive ends after a penalty and a sack and the Vikings will punt with 10:30 to go in the 3rd quarter. 

Kpassagnon off the edge and he drops McCarthy for a loss of 6 yards!

3rd and 13 from the MIN 25. 

MIN get the ball back from their 28, and let's see how McCarthy bounces back after the pick six. 

Mason gets the pitch to the right side and picks up 3 yards on first down. 

2nd and 7 from the MIN 31. 

The Bears went three and out to start the half, but got a big break from their defense.

Sometime rookies make rookie mistakes, and on this third and long play McCarthy telegraphed the pass to the sideline. Wright was there to pick it off and take it to the house against his old team. 

Jones to the right side on the toss and he picks up a couple yards to bring up 3rd and long. 

3rd and 8 from the CHI 32. 

Jones gets the handoff up the middle but he is stopped for no gain. 

2nd and 10 from the CHI 34. 

McCarthy goes play action, and his hand was hit on the release again, but a late flag flies for roughing the passer on Odeyingbo. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 34. 

Nice field position for MIN who get a 21 yard return by Price on the punt. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 49. 

Quick throw to Zaccheaus on the left side skips off the turf and the Bears go three and out. 

4th and 10 from the CHI 22 and the Bears will punt. 

Williams to the right side for Kmet, but that short pass was a bit to far behind the TE. 

3rd and 10 from the CHI 22. 

CHI start the half with the ball, and they take over from their 22. 

Williams looks to the flat for Swift out of the backfield and that pass was too far out in front of the RB. 

2nd and 10 from the CHI 22. 

WE ARE BACK IN CHICAGO FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION!!!

J.J. McCarthy is making his NFL debut, and so far he hasn't looked too comfortable. He is 5/8 for 48 yards, most of which came on this pass to Jalen Nailor for a 28 yard gain to set up a 59 yard field goal for Riechard to cut the Bears lead to 4 at the half. 

Williams had the goal of completing 70% of his passes this season, and started this season completing his first 10 passes against a tough Vikings defense. Their last few drives have been cut short after the opening possession TD, but Williams is 13/16 for 112 yards at half. 

Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears came out and had a perfect drive down the field. It wasn't easy for Williams who had to work himself around the pocket, but he went 6/6 on the first drive and finished off he possession with a TD scramble. They didn't have an opening drive TD all of last season. It took them a matter of minutes to start this season. 

WE ARE HEADING TO HALFTIME FROM CHICAGO!!!

FIELD GOAL!!!

Reichard drills the 59 yard field goal to bring an end to the first half!!!

CHI lead 10-6 heading into the halftime break!

MIN get the ball back from their 31 and and McCarthy throws a dart to Nailor for a gain of 33 yards!

1st and 10 from the CHI 36. Timeout MIN with 11 on the clock. 

FIELD GOAL!!!

Santos sneaks the 42 yard field goal inside the right goal post. 

CHI lead 10-3 with 24 seconds to go in the half. 

Williams looks right to Odunze and he is drilled but reels it in for 3 yards. He's short of the marker, and the Vikings take a timeout with 28 seconds to go. 

4th and 2 from the MIN 24. 

Swift to the left side again and he picks up 2 yards. 

3rd and 5 from the MIN 27. 

Swift to the left side and he picks up 3 yards on first down. 

2nd and 7 from the MIN 29. 

Williams slings one out to Zaccheaus out the out route to the right side and he moves the chains with a 7 yard pick up. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 32. 

Swift to the left side for a gain of 2 yards and that takes us to the Two Minute Warning. 

3rd and 5 from the MIN 39 coming up. 

Swift to the left side and he picks up 3 yards on the left side. 

2nd and 7 from the MIN 41. 

After a false start on CHI, Williams goes over the middle for Zaccheaus who had plenty of room and took it for 16 yards and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 44. 

CHI get the ball back from their 41 and Swift gets the handoff to the right side for a gain of 4 yards. 

2nd and 6 from the CHI 45. 

After a delay of game penalty, McCarthy goes with a screen pass to Mason who gets 6 yards on the left side. 

4th and long and the Vikes will punt with under 4:30 to go. 

McCarthy drops back again, and Odeyingbo got a piece of the QB's arm off the edge and that pass skips off the turf. 

3rd and 20 from the MIN 14. 

McCarthy on the play action and throw to the left side, but that pass was batted down by Edmunds. 

2nd and 20 from the MIN 14. 

MIN get the ball back from their 24 and Mason bounces off a couple tackles for a gain of 10 yards, but a holding call is going to bring that play back. 

1st and 20 from the MIN 14. 

Williams saw pressure in his face early, and some how got out of it but was eventually forced out of bounds after a gain of 2 yards. 

4th and 8 from their 37 yard line, and CHI will punt with 6:40 to go. 

Williams rolls to the right side looking for Zaccheaus but that pass was overthrown.

3rd and 10 from the CHI 35. 

CHI get the ball back from their 35 yard line and Williams looks to the right side for Odzune, but that pass was batted down at the line by Ingram-Dawkins. 

2nd and 10 from the CHI 35. 

McCarthy looks over the middle for Jefferson but he is wrapped up a yard short of the marker. 

4th and 1 from the MIN 33 and the VIkes will punt deep in their own territory. 

McCarthy looks left to Hockenson on the left side for a short four yard gain. 

3rd and 4 from the MIN 30. 

The VIkes start their drive with a jet sweep to Jones and he picks up 2 yards on the left side. 

2nd and 8 from the MIN 26. 

TURNOVER ON DOWNS!!!

Williams looks over the middle for Moore but that pass was too far out in front of the WR and the Bears drive comes to and end. 

MIN take over from their 24. 

Timeout CHI with 8:59 to go in the 2nd quarter. 

After another false start on CHI, Swift gets the handoff out of the shotgun and he picks up 7 yards up the middle. 

4th and 3 from the MIN 24 and the offense is going to go for it. 

After a false start on Moore, Williams steps up in the pocket, tucks it and spins forward on the left side for a gain of 8 yards. 

3rd and 6 from the MIN 27. 

Williaims is 10/10 to start the game. Moore gets the handoff to the right side and he picks up a yard on first down. 

2nd and 9 from the MIN 30. 

CHI take the ball back from their 39 and Williams throws a strike for Moore on the right side, and he turns out of a tackle and takes it for 30 yards on the catch and run. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 31. 

FIELD GOAL!!!

The Vikings get on the board thanks to a Reichard field gaol from 31 yards out. 

CHI lead 7-3 with 12:48.to go in the 2nd quarter. 

Pass to the right side for Jefferson on the comeback route but that throw skipped off the turf before Jefferson could make the snag. 

4th and 8 from the CHI 14. 

Mason to the left side and he is dropped in the backfield for a loss of 3 yards. 

3rd and 8 from the CHI 14. 

Mason up the middle and he picks up 5 yards on first down. 

2nd and 5 from the CHI 11. 

McCarthy on the play action out of the shotgun, and he takes off up the middle for a gain of 11 yard and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 16. 

McCarthy goes deep for Jones down the left sideline and the pass was short, but a flag flies for pass interference on the Bears!

1st and 10 from the CHI 27. 

WE ARE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUATER FROM CHICAGO!

BEARS LEAD 7-0 AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TD DRIVE TO START THE NIGHT. 

Mason gets the carry again, and he moves the chains for the first time for the Vikings with a 6 yard pick up. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 31. 

MIN take the ball back from their 19 and Mason gets the toss to the left side for a gain of 6 yards to start the drive. 

2nd and 4 from he MIN 25. 

Quick throw to the flat for Odunze is low and he is ripped down for a loss of 4 yards. 

4th and 6 from the CHI 42 and the Bears will punt with 1:10 to go in the 1st quarter. 

After a false start on Wright, Williams goes over the middle for Loveland and he picks up 8 yards to bring up 3rd and short. 

3rd and 2 from the CHI 46. 

Moore gets the handoff up the middle and he picks up 5 yards on first down. 

2nd and 5 from the CHI 43. 

Williams steps up in the pocket and takes off for a 12 yard burst up the middle and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the CHI 38. 

CHI get the ball back from their 25 and Williams finds Swift out of the backfield for a short gain of a yard. 

2nd and 9 from the CHI 26. 

Pocket collapsed on McCarthy again, and he got tripped up trying to step up in the pocket and scramble. 

4th and 5 from the MIN 30 and MIN go three and out for the second straight drive. 

Jones to the right side and he gets a couple yards, but it's thrid down and medium in the blink of an eye. 

3rd and 5 from the MIN 30.

MIN take over frmo their 24 and Jefferson gets the pass out in the flat and he picks up 4 yards on first down. 

2nd and 6 from the MIN 28. 

Caleb Williams went 6/6 on his first drive of the season and capped off the first series with a 9 yard TD scramble! The Bears didn't score a single TD on their opening drives last year, this year it took them a matter of minutes. 

Handoff to Swift and he is dropped in the backfield by Rodriguez for a loss of tree. 

3rd and 6 from the MIN 9. 

Short pass to the left side for Zacheaus and he almost broke it, but got tripped up after a gain of 7. 

2nd and 3 from the MIN 6. 

Williaims bounces out of the pocket, rolls right and throws a strike on the move to Odunze for a 17 yard pick up and a first down. 

1st and 10 from the MIN 13. 

Swift to the right side but he is stood up at the line of scrimmage. 

3rd and 5 from the MIN 30. 

Williams goes back over the middle, this time to Moore and he picks up 5 yards. 

2nd and 5 from the MIN 30. 

Willams with a short throw up the middle and he finds Monangai with an 11 yard catch and run. 

1st and 10 fro the MIN 35. 

Swift with the dive up the middle and he gets 4 yards on the first down run. 

2nd and 6 from the MIN 46. 

Play action from Williams and he finds Swift in the flat to the left side, and he makes a move, breaks a tackle and picks up the fist down with an 8 yard gain.

1st and 10 from the 50. 

CHI get the ball at their 39 and here comes Williams and the Bears. 

First play is a throw to the right side for Swift who makes the catch in the flat and gets three yards. 

2nd and 7 from the CHI 42. 

Pocket collapsed on McCarthy, and he stepped up in the pocket but Dexter got to him and dropped him for a loss of 1. 

4th and 3 from the MIN 32 and the VIkes go 3 and out. 

McCarthy on the play action roll out and he finds Oliver on the right side for a gain of 5. 

3rd and 2 from the MIN 33. 

First play is a toss to the right side for Jones and he picks up 3 yards on first down. 

2nd and 7 from the MIN 28. 

WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM CHICAGO!!!

The Vikings get the ball to start so we will get an early look at McCarthy starting from their 25. 

Brady tells Vikes to control McCarthy expectations 

There are plenty of expectations surrounding J.J. McCarthy after the Vikings went down to the wire with the Lions for the one seed in the NFC. The though is, if Sam Darnold did it why can’t this first year QB and do the same thing with an already stacked arsenal of weapons on the offensive end. Seven time Super Bowl winner, and former Michigan Wolverine has warned Vikings fans to control their emotions and expectations with McCarthy. While talking to fellow commentator Chris Collinsworth on the Pro Football Focus podcast he said, "They're expecting J.J. to come and play at that level that Sam [Darnold] did. But I think that's a lot to ask a young player. In my second year, I wasn't the same quarterback that I was in Year 7 or Year 8. I was way better in 2007 than when I was in 2001 when I took over,"

NFC North preview 

This was the best division in football last year. Between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings they lost 5 total games all season. They Green Bay Packers got to he playoffs as a Wild Card and the Bears started a new era in Chicago. This season there is a lot of change around the NFC North. The Lions have new offensive and defensive coordinators. One of them is in Chicago looking to turn things around in the Windy City. The Vikings have a new quarterback looking to keep the team in the conversation for contenders in the NFC. Meanwhile the Packers looked better than they have in a long time on Sunday with Micah Parsons being added to an already strong defense. 

Caleb lays out goals for year No. 2 

We have already mentioned the QB troubles that have plagued Chicago. In the long and illustrious history of the Bears, they have never had a 4,000 yard passer. Caleb Williams is looking to change that. He set goal for himself this season, and one of those goals is to surpass the 4,000 yard mark and to complete 70% of this passes. He wasn’t too far away from either one of those last year, but this year with a QB minded coach, and a year of experience under his belt, Williams has a good chance to do both of those. He’s got to be healthy and stay healthy for that to happen. If he can stay healthy and if he can reach his personal goals, that should help the Bears win games starting with tonight’s division rivalry on Monday night. 

Jefferson: McCarthy’s not so secret weapon

Like any rookie QB, J.J. McCarty needs to find a safety valve in his first year under center from Minnesota. Luckily he has one of the best wide receivers, if not the best wide receiver, in the league on his side. There’s Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase and then there is everyone else. Last year he had 1,533 yards and 10 TDs on 103 receptions. Knowing that his former college teammate, Chase, won the triple crown last year with he Bengals, Jefferson will be itching to have a big season with his new QB of the future. 

Bears QB over the years 

Do the Bears finally have their quarterback? Chicago is one of the oldest, most historic franchises in the league, but their history of quarterbacks is a bleak one. Jay Cutler was the last QB to hold the positions for an extended amount of time. Since 2016 the Bears have had 13 different starting QBs under center. Caleb Williams is hoping to stop the QB carousel and establish himself as the face of the franchise for a long long time. 

Star watch: Vikings 

The Vikings are starting a new chapter with a new quarterback who actually won the job last year but didn’t play a down. J.J. McCarthy is about to enter a pseudo “rookie year” after missing last year with a knee injury. He played one game in the preseason going 4/7 for 30 yards. The last real action we saw McCarthy in was the was in the College Football Playoff National Championship when he led Michigan Wolverines to the title over the Washington Huskies. His numbers weren’t outstanding, passing for 2,991 yards, 22 TDs and 4 INTs, but he was a winner. Despite his numbers he was taken with the 10th pick, nine after Williams and now the two QBs get to square off for the first of many showdowns to come. 

Star watch: Bears 

Year two starts tonight for Caleb Williams. His rookie year was filled with more downs than ups, but not all of those downs can be put on the shoulders of the rookie. Williams got sacked more than any quarterback in the league last year, and by the second half of the season the rookie was just fighting for survival. He ended the year with 3,541 yards, 20 TDs and 6 INTs. Not terrible numbers for a rookie but the won stat that matter were wins and losses. This year the Bears are looking to win more than five games while Williams has his own goals for the season. 

Last season: Vikings 

The Vikings are coming off one of the most unexpected seasons in recent history. After J.J. McCarthy won the starting job as a rookie, he was sidelined with a knee injury and Sam Darnold was the incumbent starter. Darnold had a resurrection season, reviving his career and turning Minnesota into one of the best teams in the league. They won their first five games, before losing a couple after their Week 6 BYE. They responded with a nine game win streak before losing to the Lions in the final week of the season. They went from the one seed and home field advantage to a Wild Card and having to go on the road for the first round of the playoffs. Darnold was shaky in the final two games of the season against the Lions in Week 18 and then the Rams in the Wild Card Round, and just like that their dream season came to a nighmare end. 

Last season: Bears 

The Bears had the first pick in the draft and made little secret that Caleb Williams was going to be their guy. They won their first game against the Tennessee Titans and four of their first six games. Just as it seemed like they were rolling their BYE week came and seemed to throw them way off their rhythm. A devastating Hail Mary stunned the Bears in a show down with Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. That started a downward spiral that wouldn’t end until the very last week of the season. They lost 10 straight before ending the year with a win over the Packers in Week 18. Now they have to try and shake off that terrible end of the season and think towards the future. 

We are live from Soldier Field  

Hello everyone and welcome to Chicago where the Chicago Bears are embarking on a new era in the Windy City. They feel like they have their quarterback of the future, and this offseason they brought in the coach that they hope will turn Caleb Williams into a super star in this league. Tonight we get our first look at the QB/coach tandem against a team that is going through a big change themselves. Last year the Minnesota Vikings were one of the best teams in the league, but they let their QB Sam Darnold go and have entrusted second year QB J.J. McCarthy to take the reins after being sidelined with a knee injury during his rookie season. 

Vikings vs. Bears live  

It’s an all NFC North showdown to wrap up the first weekend of the NFL season. One team was considered one of the best in the league throughout most of last year while the other team is starting a new era with a second year QB and a new head coach on the sidelines. It’s the Minnesota Vikings taking on the Chicago Bears from Soldier Field and AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlights and analysis tonight’s game from the Windy City.