Windy City Gridiron
One week from today, the Chicago Bears will host the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football. There’s been positivity around each club as they look to build around second-year quarterbacks Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy.
While the 2024 season wasn’t what Williams or Bears fans expected, he did set several rookie franchise and NFL records, in throwing for 3,541 yards with 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions, good for a passer rating of 87.8. With Ben Johnson now at the helm, expectations have increased for Caleb in year two.
Expectations for McCarthy in year two of the Kevin O’Connell offense are also high, with tight end T.J. Hockenson saying he’s like a combination of Matthew Stafford and Kirk Cousins, who have six Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring between them. McCarthy missed all of the 2024 season with a torn meniscus, but that’s not slowing the hype train.
Running back Aaron Jones said he’s as smart as sure-fire Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers.
ESPN’s insider Seth Wickersham would take McCarthy over every other young signal-caller in the NFL.
Former Viking Dante Culpepper is already calling J.J. a “great” quarterback.
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky predicts he’ll be “awesome” this year.
McCarthy only played one series in their preseason opener, completing 4 of 7 passes for 30 yards, and that was apparently enough for O’Connell, who held him out of their remaining games.
The positive buzz is a likely reason the Vikings are a 1.5-point road favorite against the Bears in prime time, according to our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook. If you like the Bears and the 1.5 points, you can get that at -105. If you think the Bears will win regardless of the spread, the moneyline is +108. The point total is set at 44.5, with the over at -104 and the under at -118.
What are your thoughts on these week one odds?
