Bears vs. Vikings Week 1 Insights: Expert breaks down what to expect from J.J. McCarthy and how Brian Flores plans to attack Caleb Williams
Gathering some intel behind enemy lines.
Going into the Week 1 matchup between the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings, there’s a lot of unknown that can determine the outcome of this opening game on Monday Night Football.
How will Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy look in his regular season debut as the team’s starting quarterback? How will Bears quarterback Caleb Williams fare in his third matchup against Brian Flores’ defense with a new play-caller?
To get to the bottom of some of these questions and more, I reached out to A to Z Sports Minnesota beat writer Tyler Forness to get some insight behind the enemy sidelines. Here are the four biggest questions I had going into this matchup:
While Brian Flores constantly gives opposing QBs trouble with his defensive scheme, Caleb Williams fared well in his first two matchups, how will Flores look to adapt in the third meeting?
“It was really interesting watching Williams against the Vikings’ defense last year. He fared well when it came to the stats, but the Vikings got to him plenty, especially in the second matchup. The biggest factor in making Williams’ life miserable is getting pressure while playing contain. It was an issue last year due to the lack of interior pressure and the edge rushers not playing enough contain.
This year, the interior of the defensive line is built specifically to collapse the pocket from the inside out. That could be a huge factor on Monday night, as it’s harder to escape a collapsed pocket from the inside out.”
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The additions of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen will certainly make life difficult for Williams and were two players head coach Ben Johnson highlighted as players the unit can’t afford to overlook. Luckily, the Bears have made some additions of their own on the interior, adding three new starters to the offensive line in Joe Thuney, Drew Dalman, and Jonah Jackson. We’ll see which side gets the upper hand.
The entire world is eager to see how J.J. McCarthy looks as the unquestioned starter in Minnesota, what have you seen from the young quarterback that can lead to immediate success?
“Easy: he’s in the perfect system for him. At Michigan, McCarthy thrived throwing over the middle in the intermediate areas, which is exactly what the Vikings like to do. Despite what you might think, McCarthy also has a very strong arm, and that is clear over the middle of the field.
Plus, when you watch him during practice, he’s making really good decisions, going through his progressions consistently on each rep, and his mechanics have improved. At Michigan, inconsistent mechanics were the culprit behind his inconsistencies with accuracy, especially deep. O’Connell and his staff made it a major priority to fix those, and we’ve seen a lot of improvement.”
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Making McCarthy uncomfortable is a good way to counter his fit in Kevin O’Connell’s scheme. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen will be looking to bring the fight to McCarthy and the Vikings offense with his aggressive scheme. Two players who can cause McCarthy to hesitate with the football are Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker, who will be rotating and moving all over the field.
Between Jalen Nailor and Adam Thielen, who is more likely to give the Bears’ secondary more trouble with Jaylon Johnson set to shadow Justin Jefferson?
“It really depends on what the Vikings are trying to do. Last season, Nailor stepped up in a big way with Jordan Addison out for two games, and he should be just fine in doing so again. His biggest asset is his speed, as he can stretch the field more than any other player on the Vikings’ roster, including Jefferson.
Thielen can still do a little bit of everything for the Vikings, but will be at his best in short spaces, especially in the red zone. He will still be able to cook slot cornerbacks with ease, and he’s a red zone maven, which is exactly what the Vikings need.”
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While Justin Jefferson is a superstar WR, the player that really hurt the Bears defense in the two meetings last season was Jordan Addison, who totaled 15 receptions for 225 yards and one touchdown in those two games. With Addison suspended and out for this game, the Bears should have a clear advantage saying Johnson suits up and the rest of the unit can handle Nailor and Thielen.
What is your final score prediction for the game?
“This is a tough one to predict, but the Vikings have the advantage at just about every position other than cornerback. The one factor that can give the Vikings problems is Bears head coach Ben Johnson. He has cooked Brian Flores’ defense consistently, but Caleb Williams’ struggles are what has been the biggest factor in the Detroit Lions beating the Vikings the last two years. Until Williams proves that he can do the things where Jared Goff thrived. Anything can happen at Soldier Field, but it will likely end in a Vikings win.” Prediction: Vikings 27, Bears 20
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How to watch Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings Week 1: Ben Johnson era finally gets started as Caleb Williams looks to overcome Brian Flores’ defense
Kicking the season off with a primetime divisional matchup.
