- Where: Soldier Field (Chicago)
- Already: 20:15 ET
- Ways to watch: ABC, ESPN, ESPN DEPORTES, ESPN+, NFL+
Week 1 of the 2025 NFL period ends with NFC North Showdown on Monday night.
The Vikings, who have talent across the table, will try to control it to hand over a masters roster to a championship JJ McCarthy Without missing a beat after going 14-3 last year.
At the same time, Bears worked on what appears to be another offseason after hiring Ben Johnson’s head coach and surrounding Caleb Williams With more talent through business and draft. They will hope that they will win over the summer will finally lead to success this fall.
After sending three representatives to the finals last season, NFC North passes as it could finish in almost any order from top to bottom in 2025.
Monday night will start to provide a slightly clearer picture where the Vikings or Bears give an opening declaration at the expense of the others to lead us into 2nd week.
Three must know the storyline
1) McCarthy debut finally
It’s a long time to come for JJ McCarthy. 2024 no. 10 The overall selection appeared to be in one game for a season as a rookie before suffered a knee injury that ended the season. He then watched from the sidelines that Sam Darnold enjoyed the revival of a process in Minnesota and many of McCarthy’s fellowship companies in the first round Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye And Bo nix – impressed under the center elsewhere. The Vikings did not pay for holding Darnold in a free agency, nor chasing the headlines by bringing a long -lasting enemy Aaron Rodgers. Instead, head coach Kevin O’Connell committed his young QB. McCarthy is the biggest question mark of a team that is being conducted to work now, especially considering that he recorded only 12 snapshots in August. Apart from, such limited use serves only as greater evidence of full faith O’Connell as a marker is ready to take over. Finally, McCarthy gets his opportunity to prove his coach correctly.
2) Johnson-Williams Era begins
Caleb Williams, another of McCarthy’s draft companies, also impressed to some extent last season. The 20-6 contact ratio of his-to-end ratio was tied in fifth place among newcomer QB since 1970 and had 13 games without choosing. However, Williams also struggled with accuracy and analyzed pressure, as seen by his 6.3 meters per attempt (33. Among the qualified throwers), 62.5 final ratio (31), 87.8 points level (24.) and 68 sacks in the league. Enter Ben Johnson, a band of the NFL’s most productive fraction from 2022-2024 while serving as Lions striker. If anyone can help Williams get their generation, then it is Johnson, a huge football mind with creativity out of Wazoo. From a tight final room with a rookie Colston Loveland And Cole Kmet In the cache of discrimination in DJ Moore, Rome Odunze And Luther Burden IIIJohnson has everything he needs to force Williams – and Bears – to the next level.
3) Improved O-line vs. Vikings Rush.
Ben Johnson could be the key to the Caleb Williams offense, but a new offensive line Chicago will be necessary to help him open the Young QB talent. Things were bad last year – 68 sacks worth of bad. They were not all in the protection, as Williams’ inexperience contributed to many, but Bears nevertheless went all the way into the ditch of this Offseason with a signature center Drew Dalman and swinging business for a life guard Jonah Jackson And Joe Thuney. Now comes the stress test and it will not be much stressful but to stare Minnesota’s defense, which was in fifth place in points that were allowed and tied in fourth place with 49 sacks in 2024. Jonathan Greenard And Andrew van GinkelBoth with a two -digit bag last season, forming a tricky duo. Brian Flore’s defense minister is a mad scientist when it comes to disguising appearance and sending blitzes. The bears will need to run in a hurry to withstand the heat.