Bears Seek First Win Over Vikings in Monday Night Football Opener

The Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings kick off the 2025 NFL season with a Monday Night Football showdown at Soldier Field, spotlighting rookie quarterbacks Caleb Williams for the Bears and J.J. McCarthy for the Vikings. Williams, under new head coach Ben Johnson’s aggressive playcalling, aims to improve on last year's performance and surpass 4,000 passing yards, while facing a blitz-heavy Vikings defense led by coordinator Brian Flores. The Bears plan to counter the Vikings' blitzes with fast tempo and pre-snap motions to help Williams identify pressure schemes. Meanwhile, the Vikings face significant challenges with McCarthy making his first NFL start amid the absence of star receiver Jordan Addison and questions surrounding the health of their offensive line, particularly left tackle Christian Darrisaw. Fan predictions and analysts favor the Vikings to win, but experts highlight Chicago's opportunistic defense and Minnesota's uncertainties as key storylines. Overall, the game is set to be a high-stakes contest that could signal divergent trajectories for these NFC North rivals.