When all the offseason buzz dies down and Week 1 rolls around, all eyes will be on the Chicago Bears’ new combination of head coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams. Literally, all of the NFL world will be tuned into the Bears in Week 1, as they will take on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.
It’ll be an opportunity for Chicago to prove their offseason hype is more than that. A win over the Vikings would make a major statement in terms of the NFC North race. Playing on Monday Night Football will add some extra pressure, but it also gives Caleb Williams a well lit stage to stand on.
The quarterback knows he holds the Bears’ future in his hands. Chicago will go as far as he goes. But in terms of playing the Vikings at home, the Bears certainly want Williams under center. Last time Chicago took on Minnesota at Soldier Field, the quarterback completed 32-of-47 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns. The 340 yards were his second-most out of any game from his rookie season.
Caleb Williams the last time he played the Vikings at home:
🎯 32/47 (103.1 RTG)
🔥 340 Passing Yards
🏈 2 Touchdowns #Bears vs #Vikings | MNF | Sept 8thpic.twitter.com/idOJRSIGsH— SleeperBears (@SleeperBears) May 14, 2025
Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams vs Minnesota Vikings
While Williams balled out, the Bears still came up short, losing 30-27 in overtime. With Johnson now at the helm, the Bears are expecting to win games where their quarterback is playing at max capacity. Week 1 gives Chicago an opportunity to prove things are different in 2025.
But throughout Williams’ rookie season, he played much better at home than on the road. At home, he completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,927 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. But on the road, the quarterback had just a 59 percent completion percentage while throwing for 1,614 yards, nine touchdowns and his interceptions.
Williams’ concerning splits were all the more evident in the Bears’ rematch against the Vikings. Minnesota came away with a 30-12 victory as Williams completed 18-of-31 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown. Most of his production came in the fourth quarter, with the Bears already trailing 20-3. It was a narrative the quarterback got used to too often during his rookie season, looking non-existent in the box score until it’s too little too late.
Johnson helped the Detroit Lions finish second in total offense in 2024, averaging 409.5 yards per game. It’d be shocking to see the Bears undergo that sort of offensive revival in year one. However, it’s a sign of what the head coach offers Chicago and why everyone is so excited about what’s brewing in the Windy City.
That buzz will either grow louder or simmer down tremendously depending on how Week 1’s Monday Night Football goes. But if it’s anything like their last matchup in Chicago, Williams will be excited. The only difference he and the Bears would want is a victory.
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