The first week of the 2025-26 NFL season is nearly in the books, with just one divisional showdown left. The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football.
Of course, the game is about more than just the on-field action, as the Vikings and Bears are bitter division rivals. With the Bears’ new head coach, offensive mastermind Ben Johnson, looking to showcase second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, and J.J. McCarthy set to make his regular-season debut after missing his rookie year with injury, there’s plenty to watch.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears: Game Details
Date: Monday, Sept. 8, 2025
Time: 8:15 p.m. EST
Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
How to Watch
TV: ESPN, ESPN2 (ManningCast), ABC
Live Stream: ESPN+, NFL+, Game Pass International
For the nationally televised matchup, ESPN’s play-by-play duties will be handled by Joe Buck, with Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman providing analysis. Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge will report from the sidelines, covering the action on the ground.
For fans seeking an alternative to the traditional broadcast, ESPN2 will once again feature the “ManningCast,” where Hall of Fame quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning deliver their own brand of analysis.
Minnesota Vikings: Building for McCarthy’s First NFL Start
Before previewing how the Vikings are gearing up for Week 1, it’s worth noting their final injury report, released Saturday afternoon, ruled running back Zavier Scott and defensive tackle Elijah Williams out for the Monday night matchup.
#MINvsCHI final injury report
OUT: Zavier Scott and Elijah Williams
DOUBTFUL: Harrison Smith
QUESTIONABLE: Christian Darrisaw pic.twitter.com/7IbuPOIiDB
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 6, 2025
Minnesota did everything possible to set McCarthy up for success. The Vikings bolstered an already solid offensive line by signing center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries in free agency and drafting guard Donovan Jackson in the first round.
In theory, McCarthy should slide into head coach Kevin O’Connell’s scheme, which often targets the middle of the field, where McCarthy excelled in college. He also has a safety net in superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
However, first-year starting quarterbacks typically struggle early, regardless of supporting talent. The Vikings’ offense will also be without Jordan Addison, who is serving the first game of a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Even if McCarthy has long-term potential, expecting immediate success in Week 1 may be unrealistic.
Chicago Bears: Entering the Johnson-Williams Era
In Chicago, Williams is entering his first game with head coach Johnson, who coordinated the Detroit Lions offense to three straight top-five finishes in points per game. Williams endured an inconsistent rookie season that showed flashes of brilliance but included too many negative plays, including a league-leading number of sacks taken. Much of that stemmed from coaching issues that often left Chicago’s offense looking dysfunctional.
“I can’t believe they didn’t take a timeout!”
Lions win in a CRAZY finish over the Bears 😮 pic.twitter.com/iLqZLMKpDh
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 28, 2024
Johnson was hired to bring stability, but what form that will take remains unclear. While his Detroit offense drew inspiration from the Sean McVay system, Johnson doesn’t come directly from that coaching tree.
He crafted an offense that maximized Jared Goff’s strengths, but that may not be the same approach that gets the best out of Williams. Regardless of scheme, this represents a massive structural change for Williams, and building continuity could take time.
With two developing offenses on the field, defenses may hold the advantage Monday night. New Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen brings a man-heavy scheme that suits cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson. Addison’s suspension also allows for more safety help against Jefferson.
Meanwhile, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores returns with his blitz-heavy, chaos-inducing defense that uses disguises and coverage rotations to generate pressure and force turnovers. The losses of safety Cam Bynum and linebacker Pat Jones II, however, could push this defense closer to the 2023 boom-or-bust version rather than the consistently dominant unit that finished second in the league in EPA per play in 2024.
