The Chicago Bears' Week 1 game against the Minnesota Vikings is huge, and that is not just because it is Week 1 against a division rival. This will be the first game of the Ben Johnson era, an era that appears to be universally accepted by Bears fans.
Ben Johnson has a lot of pressure on him in Week 1
Johnson has been the top head coaching option for the past two years, and now he lands with a former number-one overall pick. In a game with numerous storylines that it is hard to count, Pro Football Focus identified Johnson as the top storyline to follow in this game.
"After leading the Lions to back-to-back NFC North titles while orchestrating one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL, Ben Johnson stayed in the division with hopes of revamping the storied Bears franchise. His Bears debut comes on Monday Night Football against a Vikings team that his Lions smashed in a must-win game to close out the regular season, and he will be looking to do it again to start 2025.Mason Cameron
However, the Vikings also have a new face leading the charge, with J.J. McCarthy set to make his regular-season NFL debut after suffering a knee injury in the preseason to start his career."
While there are so many things to watch for, it is fair that Johnson leads the pack. How Caleb Williams plays, how the new skill players mesh, how the offensive line looks, it is all going to go back to what position Johnson put them in to succeed.
If Williams struggles, the attention will likely shift to Johnson. The same can be said if the skill players are not being used properly, or if we do not see enough of someone like Colston Loveland.
Still, as the article mentions, for as monumental as this game feels for Johnson, it is just as big for J.J. McCarthy. The Minnesota Vikings were one of the best regular-season teams in football last season.
They had a Week 18 game that could have sent them into a bye week with the best record in the NFC. Now, the team upgrades its offensive and defensive line with some big free agency moves.
Of course, they lost Sam Darnold, but they drafted McCarthy high in the first round the year prior. McCarthy has been in the building, so the rookie talk is questionable. The Vikings chose him and the upgraded roster over Darnold.
Kevin O’Connell has been able to win games with Nick Mullens and Joshua Dobbs. He is a proven good playcalling head coach. If McCarthy comes out flat, looks lost, or looks worse than those quarterbacks mentioned, then Minnesota is going to have serious problems. That is not only this season, but moving forward as well.
Read more: Bleacher Report redraft has Bears getting tight end (but not Colston Loveland)
Who will feel the heat most after the game, Johnson or McCarthy?