The Chicago Bears have a chance to claim first place in the NFC North with a win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon and that task may have gotten easier after Kyler Murray was ruled out with a concussion on Friday per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Carson Wentz will get the start as a result of Murray’s injury but it could also mean the Bears could see J.J. McCarthy if Wentz gets knocked out with an injury.
That possibility is more realistic than you think, as Wentz has a long history of injuries, including a torn labrum and a dislocation in his left shoulder that ended his 2025 season last October. But while Bears fans are salivating at the thought of McCarthy being thrown into the game, it could also be a trap given how he performed against Chicago last season.
J.J. McCarthy’s history against the Bears presents a troublesome scenario in Week 2
McCarthy’s first (and perhaps only) year as Vikings starter did not go well. But some of the few bright spots he had were his performances against the Bears.
McCarthy made his first career start at Chicago to open the 2025 season and spent the first three quarters trying to get his bearings. But once he settled in, he rode a wave of momentum in the fourth quarter, throwing a pair of touchdown passes and running for another with 2:53 to play to lead Minnesota to a 27-24 victory.
That performance helped McCarthy win NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors but he couldn’t sustain it after suffering a high ankle sprain the following week in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons. A few months passed, and the Bears met McCarthy again in Minneapolis, where he struggled again for the majority of the game before he connected on a 15-yard go-ahead touchdown to Jordan Addison with 50 seconds remaining.
Devin Duvernay’s 56-yard kickoff return put the Bears into Vikings territory; however, four plays later, Cairo Santos kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give Chicago the 19-17 victory. While McCarthy was dreadful, completing 16-of-32 passes for 150 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, he still almost came away with a win, which brings up an interesting scenario if Wentz gets hurt on Sunday.
Bears’ secondary woes could make J.J. McCarthy the ultimate wild card in Week 2
Wentz is capable of being a steady presence at quarterback, but durability is one of his flaws. Should he go out of the game, the Vikings would be forced to play a quarterback they’ve been trying to hide since signing Murray and Wentz over a one-week period in free agency last spring and holding their breath as McCarthy throws passes with the same velocity as Henry Rowengartner.
But there’s also a chance that one of McCarthy’s fastballs could sting the Chicago secondary. The Bears made Bryce Young look like John Elway in their season-opening victory over the Carolina Panthers last week as he threw for 361 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. A lot of the damage came on big plays as well, including a 51-yard touchdown pass from Young to Jalen Coker in the second quarter.
Read more: Bears final Week 2 injury update: nobody is ruled out, including Darnell Wright
It seems preposterous that the Bears could get “Nined” again, and it’s far more likely that Wentz plays the entire game. But if he goes down, McCarthy, who will likely be looking to prove the Vikings wrong for demoting him to third string, could have his opportunity, and his past against the Bears shows it only takes a few plays for him to make Chicago pay.
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