- oleh Aditya Pranata
- nyala 9 Sep, 2025
What happened on Monday night
Up 17-6 in the third quarter at home, the Chicago Bears looked set to hand their rookie quarterback and first-year head coach a dream start. Instead, the Minnesota Vikings ripped off a 21-point fourth quarter and walked out of Soldier Field with a 27-24 win to open the 2025 season on Monday Night Football.
The stage was loud and bright: 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff, national TV on ABC and ESPN, and a classic NFC North tilt to start the year. For Chicago, it was the debut of head coach Ben Johnson and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Minnesota countered with a local twist—JJ McCarthy, a Chicago-area native, making his first NFL start under the lights in his hometown.
The Bears landed the first punch, taking a 7-0 lead after a scoreless opening quarter for Minnesota. By halftime, Chicago held a 10-6 edge, and the third quarter nudged that cushion to 17-6. Then the game flipped. The Vikings found rhythm, stacked drives, and closed with a 21-point burst to stun a Bears crowd that had spent most of the night sensing an opening-week statement.
Two veterans anchored Minnesota’s surge. Aaron Jones Sr. was ruthless with limited touches, rushing 6 times for 58 yards and a touchdown—an eye-popping 9.7 yards per carry with a long of 13—and adding three catches for 44 yards and another score. Justin Jefferson, steady as ever, posted four grabs for 44 yards and a touchdown, the type of efficient production that bends coverage and keeps chains moving when yards matter most.
This was the formula the Vikings wanted for McCarthy’s first start: lean on a dynamic back, feed a star receiver, and ask the rookie to manage the moment, not chase it. The first half was choppy, but the second half told a different story. Minnesota found tempo, used spacing to loosen the middle of the field, and punished missed tackles. The payoff was a furious final 15 minutes that swung the division’s early narrative.
Chicago can still take some positives from a gutting loss. Williams showed poise in his first NFL action, operating the offense into a two-score lead and avoiding panic even as the Vikings rallied. D’Andre Swift handled the heavy lifting on the ground with 17 carries for 53 yards, and DJ Moore was active in key spots, giving the rookie quarterback a steady option when protection tightened. The Bears had enough balance to control the game for three quarters; they just couldn’t land the closer.
Defensively, Chicago’s plan worked until it didn’t. The Bears kept Minnesota to six points in the first half and limited explosives for long stretches. But repeated short fields, quick-strike sequences, or simply the cumulative effect of defending more snaps late can crack even a disciplined unit. Credit the Vikings for adjustments and execution. They targeted matchups that created leverage and forced Chicago into uncomfortable disguises, then attacked the vacated space.
Johnson’s debut showcased the offensive identity he’s trying to build—motion, easy throws early to settle the quarterback, and a steady diet of Swift to set up shots. The next step is situational sharpness. Fourth-quarter possessions are about clock, field position, and a handful of plays that decide the night. Those reps—backed by film this week—will be priceless for a staff and a rookie who just lived the sharpest edge of NFL football.
For Minnesota, this is the kind of opening win that travels. A rookie quarterback handling the moment, a veteran back thriving in space, and Jefferson doing Jefferson things—those are bankable traits. Add in a defense that bowed up when it had to, and you’ve got the early spine of a team that can win different ways in a division that often comes down to November weather and December nerve.
Here are the quick-hit numbers that defined it:
- Vikings scored 21 points in the fourth quarter after trailing 17-6 in the third.
- Aaron Jones Sr.: 6 carries, 58 yards, 1 rushing TD; 3 receptions, 44 yards, 1 receiving TD.
- Justin Jefferson: 4 receptions, 44 yards, 1 TD.
- Bears led early (7-0), took a 10-6 lead into halftime, and pushed to 17-6 before the late swing.
- D’Andre Swift: 17 carries, 53 yards as Chicago’s lead back.
If you’re tracking the rookie storyline, both quarterbacks cleared meaningful first hurdles. McCarthy settled and won on the road, which is never trivial, let alone in your hometown. Williams ran the huddle, moved the ball, and got the full two-minute drill of lessons on pace and decision-making against an NFL defense closing fast. The tape will be a long watch—but a useful one.
The NFC North picture, yes it’s early, already gets interesting. Minnesota’s 1-0 start plants a flag atop the division, while Chicago is 0-1 with a performance that still points forward. Most openers are messy. The trick is what you clean up by Week 2.
TV, kickoff time, and what comes next
Kickoff came at 8:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. CT) from Soldier Field, and the game aired nationally on ABC and ESPN as part of the Monday Night Football package. Cord-cutters could stream through network and league-affiliated platforms tied to those broadcasts. On the ticket front, resale prices dipped as low as $47 in the run-up, a relative bargain for a primetime opener on the lakefront.
Where does it go from here? The Vikings carry momentum and a locker room that just proved it can close on the road. Expect them to build around the Jones–Jefferson axis and keep simplifying reads for McCarthy as he stacks starts. If that fourth-quarter rhythm shows up earlier in games, they’re going to be a problem.
The Bears have plenty to build on. Williams has a clear rapport with his top targets, Swift gives the ground game a baseline, and Johnson’s structure produced sustained drives for three quarters. The to-do list is straightforward: tidy up late-game execution, find a few more explosives, and finish in the red zone and four-minute offense. The defense, strong early, will look to carry that first-half form through the closing stretch.
One last note for the search bar and the schedule hawks: the primetime stage lived up to the billing. If you missed it live, expect a steady loop of highlights from Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings across your feeds—especially that avalanche of fourth-quarter points that flipped a comfortable Chicago lead into an opening-night statement for Minnesota.