The first week of the NFL has officially kicked off with the Philadelphia Eagles defending their Super Bowl crown Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
The first weekend will feature games from Thursday to Monday, and we are in for a great weekend of games. Today, I’ll be breaking down the Monday Night Football Matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears.
The Vikings are currently sitting at-1.5-point favorites on the road with the Vikings at -125 ML and the Bears at +105. This line adds up for me. The Vikings were a much better team than the Bears last season, and while there was a ton of turnover, they still have the majority of their stars.
The Over/Under is set at 43.5 points. Last season, the over would have hit in one of their two meetings, with one game ending 30-27 and the other 30-12.
The Bears will be taking the field officially for the first time under new Head Coach Ben Johnson. Johnson was a huge part of Detroit's recent success as their Offensive Coordinator, and he was the most highly sought-after coach in this last change cycle.
Johnson said a large part of his decision was that the Bears had Caleb Williams and some young offensive talent. Pair that with an already solid defense, and the Bears could be much better if they can get their offense to cooperate.
A large part of William’s struggles as a rookie came from a brutally bad offensive line. The Bears' offseason was centered around building that line and making sure they protect their #1 overall pick.
They added veteran guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, Center Drew Dalman, and a new Offensive line coach in Dan Roushar. If the Bears can get their offense in order, they could be a solid team this season, but it may not be enough to take out the Vikings.
The Vikings had an amazing run last season, going 14-3 in the regular season before being bounced from the playoffs in Wild Card weekend by the Rams. Head Coach Kevin O’Connell’s job is safe, as he has been a huge success, but I am very intrigued to see how JJ McCarthy handles the starting job.
Last year, Sam Darnold had a resurgence, leading the team to the playoffs and playing himself into a big contract in Seattle. However, the Vikings decided to roll with their young draft pick, McCarthy.
Minnesota had a great defense last year, led by DC Brian Flores, and only allowed 30+ points in 3 games, all of which they lost. The Vikings loaded up even more on defense this offseason, adding the likes of DTs Jonathon Allen, Javon Hargrave, and CB Jeff Okudah. Their defense is positioned to be very solid, so the big question will be how good McCarthy can be.
Vikings -1.5 (-108): I am going to take the Vikings in this one. I think they have enough of a solid roster around McCarthy so that they can make sure he stays protected and eases his way into his first start. I think Ben Johnson will be a good coach for the Bears, but Brian Flores' defense will cause them some problems.
Justin Jefferson 6+ Receptions (-164): With McCarthy making his first real start, he is going to need to rely on his top dog. With Jordan Addison suspended, I am expecting Kevin O’Connell to get creative and ensure JJ gets his touches.