For nearly three quarters, it looked like the Ben Johnson era would start the 2025 season with a win, and put the “same ole Bears” narrative in the rear view mirror. But unable to pull away up 17-6, the objective to win the game was harder than it appeared. 

Things looked better, different, and on the right path in the first half, as the Chicago Bears looked to start the season 1-0. But as anyone who has watched a Chicago Bears game in the last decade or so knows, it takes a full 60 minutes to get a win. 

Outscored 21-7 in the fourth quarter, Minnesota scored 21 unanswered points before Chicago’s late touchdown. Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who in the first half looked like a kid lost in the mall, turned into the national championship-winning quarterback at Michigan.

How it started

Last season, the Bears were one of three teams not to score a touchdown on their opening drive and finished last in the NFL with 27 first-quarter points. 

After holding the Vikings to a three-and-out to start the game, with the bright lights on, quarterback Caleb Williams took to the field, all eyes on how he and the offense under head coach Ben Johnson would perform. 

Starting on their own 39-yard line, Williams smartly guided Chicago down the field, hitting six different pass catchers: D’Andre Swift, Kyle Monangai, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Olimade Zaccheus. Faced with two third downs on the drive, Chicago executed, and on their opening drive, with a nine-yard rushing touchdown by Williams, opening the game, marching down 61 yards to take a 7-0 lead. 

Chicago’s defense, despite missing cornerback Jaylon Johnson, nickel corner Kyler Gordan, and linebacker T.J. Edwards, were showing that it didn’t matter. The Bears sacked McCarthy on back-to-back third downs to start the game and held Minnesota’s offense to 0-for-9 on third downs to start the game. The Vikings’ first third-down conversion wasn’t until 12:18 of the fourth quarter. 

Williams started the game 10-for-10 in completions and was the first Bears quarterback to start the game with 10 or more consecutive completions since 1978.

The Bears would enter halftime with a 10-6 lead. But Chicago did leave points on the board after failing to convert a 4th and three in the second quarter at Minnesota’s 24-yard line. 

Up to three sacks on the night, Chicago’s defense was applying all the pressure on McCarthy, and on the Vikings’ fourth offensive play of the second half, cornerback Nashon Wright jumped McCarthy’s pass, taking it the distance for a 74-yard pick-six. 

Up 17-6, Chicago was once again driving and at the Vikings’ 24-yard line. But a holding penalty on right tackle Darnell Wright erased a 12-yard reception by Swift, and on 2nd and 20 an intentional growing moved the ball all the way to the Minnesota 34-yard line.

A Promising start, ended with a missed 50-yard Cairo Santos field goal, and there, the game flipped entirely. 

Versus how it ended

Chicago finished the game penalized 12 times for 127 yards. That included four false start penalties in the first half – two of which were committed by Jonah Jackson, two pass interference penalties, and a game-changing holding penalty and intentional growing penalty. 

After starting with 10 consecutive completions to open the game, Williams finished 8-for-20 and, after an opening drive touchdown, scored their next offensive touchdown at 2:02 in the fourth quarter. 

The Vikings were able to get a run game going with Jordan Mason, finally, and eased McCarthy into a game plan that head coach Kevin O’Connell executed perfectly. 

Behind a Minnesota defense that forced Chicago into four punts in the second half and stopped them on six consecutive possessions, the Vikings’ offense built momentum leading to the come-from-behind win. 

Chicago underwent a complete overhaul to build a new culture away from the 5-12 season last year, but Monday night, those same issues plagued the Bears to start the season. 

How Chicago uses this loss going forward will be another test to see if this team has learned anything from last season. The Bears will be on the road in Detroit to face the Lions in another NFC North matchup.