Caleb Williams was the cream of the crop among the 2024 quarterback draft class. He wanted to play for the Vikings but instead went first overall to the Chicago Bears. Brian Flores kept him in check earlier this season, but ESPN insider Ben Solak doesn’t see it happening twice.

Caleb Williams projected to go off against Minnesota Vikings

The Chicago Bears nearly drafted J.J. McCarthy over Caleb Williams. That would have been crazy in the eyes of draft projections, and instead the two are now divisional foes. McCarthy won their first matchup, but ESPN’s Ben Solak thinks that the Bears quarterback has a coming-out party in Minnesota on Sunday.

The Bears nearly missed on several potential big plays last week against the Giants in snowy Chicago. Now, Chicago takes its offense — which leads the league in explosive plays — to the dome in Minnesota, where the Vikings are allowing the league’s highest completion percentage on throws 20-plus yards downfield. Williams has been teetering on the precipice of a true breakout performance for weeks now, and a divisional win against a defensive coordinator like Brian Flores would be the ideal spot.

Ben Solak – ESPN

Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson inherited Caleb Williams this offseason. He brought a progressive offensive mind to the table, and Williams was likely to benefit from it. It’s hard to argue that he hasn’t.

On the season Williams has the bears at 6-3 and trailing only Johnson’s former employer in the NFC North standings. He is completing 60.8% of his passes and has a 13/4 TD/INT ratio. After taking a league-leading 68 sacks last year, Williams has been dropped just 14 times this year and it’s clear things are going substantially better.

Last weekend the Vikings lost to the Baltimore Ravens. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was healthy and went 17-for-29 with 176 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for another36 yards.

During Week 1 the Vikings pulled off a three-point victory at Soldier Field. Williams was 21-of-35 for 210 yards and a touchdown in that game. He didn’t throw a pick, but was sacked twice. In the weeks since, the development has continued to take place.

#Vikings DC Brian Flores on facing the Bears on Sunday:

"Ben's (Johnson) always a challenge, he's always got great schematics."

Caleb Williams this season: 2,136 yards, 13 TD, 4 INT, 61% completion pic.twitter.com/FGVf0I4wVA

— Will Hall (@WillHallKARE11) November 11, 2025

The Vikings defense is relatively healthy, although star pass rusher Jonathan Greenard will not play. That means Dallas Turner will need to show up big alongside Andrew Van Ginkel. Flores had a plan of attack in Week 1 that kept Williams guessing. If the Vikings are going to win, and they are slight 2.5 point favorites, they’ll need to keep the opposing quarterback guessing.

Ultimately the Vikings don’t want McCarthy to need another fourth quarter comeback. At 4-5, a chance to get back to .500 and improve to 3-0 in the division all are on the line. Williams can’t have a coming-out party if that’s going to happen though.

Local reporters are following that line pretty closely, as all Vikings beat reporters with recorded predictions for tonight’s matchup picked Minnesota to squeak out a close victory in the Windy City. National media pundits are more split.

Had they seen the exchange between three MN Vikings beat writers during their most recent “Access Vikings” podcast episode — like you are about to — I’d imagine many of their big timer national colleagues would reconsider.

I’m pretty convinced is the most under-reported Vikings vs Bears storyline of the day, leading up to week 1’s Monday Night Football opener in Chicago. It involves Bears QB Caleb Williams and how the Minnesota defense is feeling internally about tonight’s nationally televised game.

But first, let’s cover some quick background because this was the context, before we can properly introduce the conversation you came here to read about, which took place between Ben Goessling, Andrew Krammer and Emily Leiker from the Star Tribune.

The Caleb Williams bombshell story

In case you haven’t heard, an article written by independent NFL insider Tyler Dunne recently dropped over at his website, GoLong.com. In the piece, the respected NFL insider details just how impossible 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Caleb Williams was to coach last season.

Not only was his attitude a problem, but so was his QB processor and leadership abilities. Obviously, all of the above cause major friction with coaches and teammates.

Williams struggled to execute elementary tasks. Every day was a new disaster.

That early, that spring, the Bears changed the snap count to appease Williams. Instead of using a combination of colors and numbers like every other team in the NFL, the Bears reverted to a “Ready, set, go!” straight out of JV football because that’s what the quarterback requested.

Aside from the obvious on-field consequences — defenders could tee off — the Bears were establishing a troubling precedent in allowing a rookie to tell them exactly what to do. Veterans couldn’t believe it. “Are you shitting me?” one receiver asked a coach.

GoLongTD.com (reporting by Tyler Dunne)

Related: MN Vikings Picks, Predictions vs Bears – Local Reporters vs National Media

It sounds like Tyler got most of his information from the Bears’ former coaching staff, which was replaced by former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson & Co, and detail just how much disfunction was happening behind the scenes last year in Chicago.

It’s a must-read story that Minnesota Vikings fans should all go read, in order to understand where Williams’ development was at, prior to Ben Johnson taking over. If Caleb is good tonight, Ben might really be a genius. If not, the Bears franchise might be in trouble.

And that brings us back to the aforementioned Star Tribune beat writers, who were discussing Tyler’s piece on their Saturday evening episode of Access Vikings, a conversation that brought them back to Caleb Williams vs the Minnesota Vikings defense.

Minnesota Vikings defense salivating over Bears matchup

From the sounds of it, Brian Flores and “his group of dogs” already know exactly how this Monday night story ends, and it doesn’t bode well for last year’s No. 1 overall pick.

According to Andrew Krammer and Ben Goessling, Brian Flores and the boys are feeling downright cocky (my words not his) this week that — right in front of Bears fans fans and for the entire football world to see — they are going to eat Chicago’s sophomore QB alive.

Sounds like the Vikings defense plans on dismembering Bears QB Caleb Williams in front of the entire nation tonight… 👀🫣

Krammer: "I think Brian Flores and this group of, for lack of a better phrase, this group of dogs that he's got, that are just ready to pounce on Caleb… pic.twitter.com/k61sBcOWpI

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) September 8, 2025

Krammer: “Chicago is under the microscope to start this game, in a prime time setting. First game with a new head coach, first game with this quarterback that needs to be your savior…I’m fascinated to see because they’re so talented.

We know they’re going to be well-coached this time based on what Ben Johnson did in Detroit. But Detroit and Jared Goff and Ben Johnson took some time to build what they did I just don’t think it’s going to look great, or it’s not going to look like a carbon copy or a microwaved version [of the 2024 Lions] in week one.

And I think Brian Flores and this group of, for lack of a better phrase, this group of dogs that he’s got, that are just ready to pounce on Caleb Williams. At a risk of sounding like a homer. I’m pretty excited to see what it looks like for this Vikings defense against a Chicago group that is still trying to find their footing.”

Goessling: “Yeah, we got the sense this week that um they’re feeling pretty good about what they may be able to do to affect Caleb Williams on Monday night. Yeah, that that sentiment came through pretty clearly this week.”

Access Vikings Podcast

Related: Vikings Asst. Turned Down Multiple Promotions; Would’ve Spurned More…

All of the confidence being displayed by the Vikings defense this week, as talked about between Goessling and Krammer, came before Dunne’s devastating story on Williams dropped. God help that kid if anyone on the Vikings’ front seven has read that story since… which they likely all have.

Feeling cocky yet, MN Vikings fans…?

I’m not sure you you are feeling, at this point on Monday afternoon. When this article was written, we were four hours away from the 7:15 pm CDT kickoff. I felt good about Minnesota’s chances tonight, even prior to watching Access Vikings.

But after realizing the confidence Brian Flores’ defense has coming into this game — not to mention the concerns floating around Chicago after the Williams article dropped at GoLongTD.com — I suddenly feel much better about how tonight’s NFC North divisional game will play out. And just for sticking around, you get a

Krammer: “Just all camp, all three of us watching this defense just get after it. And it’s tough. We’re sitting there going, “Okay, how much of this is the rookie or young QB in McCarthy versus this veteran laden defense?” But man, it didn’t matter if it was Ryan Kelly. It didn’t matter if it was Brian O’Neal out there. This defensive front was getting after guys.”

Goessling: And they were talking [smack] about it every single time they did it. I mean, that that group was playing with uh, to quote Tim Brewster, their chili was hot. So, they uh, you know, if you want to go bear hunting, you got to bring something to get the bear. You can’t go in with a pellet gun if you’re trying to get the bear. You want to get some, you got to bring some. And I think they’re going to bring some on Monday night.

Access Vikings Podcast

Then, a month later (Sept. 8), Kevin O’Connell & Co will kick off the 2025 regular season on Monday Night Football, against the division rival Chicago Bears. They’ll tell us not to overreact to week one, but that’ll be easier said than done, after what (god-willing) will be the regular season debut of medical redshirt rookie QB, JJ McCarthy.

Not only is the 22-year-old‘s first NFL game scheduled to take place on the biggest weekly stage in all of sports, but he’ll do it in his home state of Illinois. In fact, McCarthy grew up in Evanston, IL, which is less than an hour drive up the coast of Lake Michigan from Soldier Field.

Will immense pressure weigh on JJ McCarthy during MN Vikings debut week 1?

Will the pressure of that 1.5 months from now have an effect on JJ McCarthy’s ability to play football that evening? Minnesota Vikings beat writer Alec Lewis (The Athletic) asked that question to some of the quarterback’s former coaches and trainers, who would know best.

Every single one had the same response. That the Vikings’ new quarterback was built for moments like week one of the 2025 NFL season. Since he was a kid, McCarthy has been watching, reading and listening to people who motivate him, from Michael Jordan to Tom Brady to random CEOs who give incredible YouTube presentations.

These lines sound straight out of the computation notebook McCarthy began compiling years ago. He would read quotes from Michael Jordan and scribble them down. Late at night, lying in bed, he’d hang on every word of a motivational speech from some revered business executive or renowned psychologist. The following day, his parents, Jim and Megan, would find advice jotted on the whiteboard in his room.

At IMG, McCarthy begged coaches to give him more responsibility. As in, “Send me the practice plan before tomorrow.” As in, “Allow me to make checks at the line of scrimmage — please.” The school’s quarterbacks coach, Kurt Gould, would leave his laptop open at night so McCarthy could log in to the film platform.

The Athletic

Related: JJ McCarthy Says He’s Ready to Start for the MN Vikings… Plus Much More

At every level, JJ has surprised his coaches and those around him by the way he prepares and the consistency he brings to the locker room day in and day out. In his article at The Athletic — which I caution, will make you run through the nearest wall — Lewis’ main source of background information is McCarthy’s longtime individual QB coach, Greg Holcomb.

Confirmed: JJ McCarthy wants all the pressure

The two have been working together since the summer between JJ’s 7th and 8th grade years of middle school. And if there is one thing that Greg has learned in his seven-eight years of working with the highest drafted quarterback in Minnesota Vikings franchise history, is that no moment is ever too big for this kid.

When [Holcomb] is asked how he thinks McCarthy will manage the mayhem [of week 1], he answers the same way so many of McCarthy’s former coaches and teammates do.

It’s not, “He’ll be fine.” It’s more forceful, like, “I can’t tell you how much I’d bet on that kid.”

“I don’t think it feels like weight to him,” Holcomb said.

Then what does it feel like?

“Another opportunity to do something great.”

The Athletic

JJ McCarthy really tore Bama up in the Rose Bowl

27-1 as a starter
3x Big Ten Champion
National Champion
Big Ten QB of the year
Top 10 pick

GREATEST QB in Michigan History #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/rp1ucYYHKZ

— Underwood Unleashed (@Underwood_szn) July 18, 2025

These are only a couple of the stories that Alec Lewis compiled for his latest write up on JJ McCarthy, which dropped Monday morning. There’s another IMG Academy story in there where his coaches saw him out standing in the middle of the football stadium, after the lights had been turned out.

Why? He had his playbook down there with him and he was walking through the next game’s script by himself, taking “imaginary snaps” and going through the reads of each play. Again, if you have a spare wall handy, I’d highly recommend reading Lewis’ entire article.

Because once you do, you’ll walk away wondering if the Minnesota Vikings actually drafted the next Tom Brady, especially when it comes to preparation and the mental side of the game.

Ryan Poles, Chicago Bears nearly drafted JJ McCarthy over Caleb Williams

And apparently, Alec’s readers aren’t the only ones. Also included within the piece is a supposed conversation between McCarthy’s aforementioned individual QB coach, Greg Holcomb and Chicago Bears general manager, Ryan Poles.

It came during a middle school quarterbacks camp that Holcomb was hosting and Poles was attending. According to the well-known QB whisperer, that’s when the subject of JJ McCarthy came up and Chicago’s GM let it slip that the Bears nearly shocked the football world at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft, where they seriously considered selecting McCarthy over consensus No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams.

During a changeover at the camp, Holcomb approached Poles and introduced himself. They found their way to the subject of McCarthy.

“He was talking about how much they (the Bears) loved J.J.,” Holcomb said. “And said to me, ‘I don’t think people realize how close we were to possibly taking him.’ Obviously, they love (No. 1 pick) Caleb (Williams), but I thought that was interesting.”

The Athletic

There are nearly 1000 words in this article already, between myself and Alec, and neither of us touched on the incredible National Championship-winning career he had at Michigan. Let’s not forget that none of these stories matter if JJ McCarthy didn’t develop into an elite quarterback, which he absolutely did.

As a senior for the Wolverines, while his head coach and the entire program was embroiled in one of the most historic cheating scandals in all of sports history, McCarthy tuned out the noise and lead Michigan to a National Championship.

Related: Minnesota Vikings No Longer Babying JJ McCarthy

His haters will say he didn’t have to do much, behind such a great defense and running game. But he was the emotional and spiritual leader of a bunch that needed it desperately in that moment.

Oh, and he finished with one of the most efficient quarterback seasons in CFB history, throwing for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions, on 72.3% passing.

JJ McCarthy is the most efficient QB in the country. Here are his week 7 highlights vs Indiana pic.twitter.com/bG7RmGng6y

— JD 〽️ (@MGoJDBlue) October 17, 2023

But wait, there’s more. The Detroit Lions finally lost their second game of the season, too, opening the door for Minnesota, in multiple ways. So… you’re telling me there’s a chance? That’s right, by the time Monday morning rolled around, the Vikings held their playoff future in their own hands.

Beat the Bears on Monday Night Football, and everything was still on the table. Win the final three games on their schedule, and the Minnesota Vikings will take the NFC North. They’d also claim the No. 1 seed in the 2024-25 playoffs, which comes with a 1st round bye.

Yes, everyone picked the 11-2 Vikings — a -7 point favorite at home — to beat a reeling 4-9 Bears team. But this is Minnesota, where wins rarely come easy. And at times on Monday night, it looked like that would again be the case.

What We Learned: Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears – Week 15

Fortunately, even though the Minnesota Vikings did not bring their A-game to U.S. Bank Stadium, the Bears proved multiple times that they indeed have very little interest in winning, right now. Chicago shot themselves in the foot just about every time a window of opportunity opened, which made it impossible to keep this a game, and the Vikings rolled to a 30-12 victory. So, what did we learn tonight?

Kevin O’Connell does not like running the football

We can probably slide this under the ‘things we already knew’ category, but the Minnesota Vikings head coach proved again on Monday just how much he dislikes running the football. Not only was his team leading vs the Bears from start to finish, but we also saw an unusually inaccurate Sam Darnold tonight, too, thanks to a pinky injury he suffered early on.

TV showed Sam Darnold appearing to hit his hand on a helmet during that 2-minute drive. Whether by coincidence or not, Darnold was trailed closely into the locker room by Tyler Williams, the Vikings' VP of player health and performance.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 17, 2024

So, with Aaron Jones averaging nearly 5 yards per carry, you’d think head coach and offensive play-caller Kevin O’Connell would want to ride his running game to a victory, right? Controlling the clock, wearing out Chicago’s defensive line and relying on a really good defense to stop a Bears offense that is not running on all cylinders would have made sense. But that isn’t how KOC rolls.

Instead, the Vikings entered halftime up 13-0 having thrown the football 24 times vs just 10 rushing attempts. But in that first half, Darnold hurt his right pinky, and had to wear some sort of bandage that affected his accuracy on multiple throws.

Related: NFL Exec Says ‘Talking Heads’ Do Not Understand How Much Vikings Love JJ McCarthy

Do you think that pushed O’Connell to run more, at the start of the 2nd half? Hell no, Darnold threw 11 passes in the 3rd quarter, vs just 7 rushing attempts for Jones (zero for anyone else). Finally, after the Minnesota Vikings went up 27-6 in the 4th quarter, KOC called off the dogs.

Still, Aaron Jones finished with only 18 carries, which he turned into 86 rushing yards on the night. Sam Darnold, meanwhile, ended 24-of-40 for 231 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He spread the ball around to all of his major weapons, but Justin Jefferson led the way with 7 catches for 73 yards and a TD that ended with a heartfelt shout out to Randy Moss, who announced a battle with cancer on Friday.

"We love you Randy, that's for you" 💜

Justin Jefferson showing love to Randy Moss after the TD 🥹 pic.twitter.com/fiSD5Vl4Df

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 17, 2024

If there is one thing O’Connell proved tonight, it’s that he will call pass plays until you force him to do otherwise. Tonight, it did not hurt him. Will it hurt him during the playoffs? We will find out, but it is worth noting that, when the Vikings do run lately, they have done it pretty effectively, as long as Aaron Jones holds onto the football.

Minnesota Vikings defense figured out Caleb Williams

The biggest difference in Monday night’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears was the way Brian Flores’ defense kept Caleb Williams in the pocket, while confusing him with different coverages and pre-snap looks.

Yes, the former USC star did throw one touchdown, late in the 4th quarter. But overall, the Vikings stuck with a four-man pressure and forced Williams to stay in the pocket, keep his eyes downfield and read coverages, which he struggled to do.

Related: So, the Minnesota Vikings Officially Clinched a Playoff Spot… Now What?

That resulted with the 2024 No. 1 overall pick holding onto the football FOREVER, at times, while waiting for receivers to get open downfield. And he wasn’t very successful with it, finishing 18-of-31 for 191 yards and a garbage time touchdown. The Vikings defense would have had another TD, had Andrew Van Ginkel not missed a block.

WHAT A HIT!@JonGreenard7 and @blockayyy team up for the strip-sack and fumble recovery.#ProBowlVote

📺: @ABC pic.twitter.com/PqY4f8fDQr

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 17, 2024

This, just a few weeks after the same rookie QB threw for 340 yards and 2 touchdowns, in Chicago. That afternoon, Williams killed the Vikings repeatedly by making plays with both his feet and his arm, after being forced out of the pocket by Minnesota’s pass rush.

Monday night, the Vikings’ pass rush was much more disciplined, and it paid dividends. The Bears were held scoreless during the first half, and went just 1-of-9 on 3rd downs (1-for-3 on 4th downs).

Bad teams find ways to lose

You don’t have to be a die-hard Minnesota Vikings fan to know tonight’s home team didn’t play its best game of the 2024 season. But when you play against bad teams, those opponents seem to find ways to lose, and that’s what we saw from the Chicago Bears in week 15.

Every time the Bears gave themselves a chance, there was a penalty or some other self-inflicted wound that nullified the play. That included a 3rd quarter touchdown that was erased because a sixth offensive lineman did not report to the referees as eligible on the play.

The Bears linemen forgot to report as an eligible receiver and the touchdown was taken off the board 😳pic.twitter.com/nch45GDNJU

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 17, 2024

A TD would have made the score 13-6, with an extra point yet to come. Instead, the Bears settled for a field goal. They didn’t find paydirt again until the game was already over, when Caleb Williams threw a garbage time touchdown to Keenan Allen that made the score 27-12.

Related: Sounds Like Kirk Cousins New Teammates are Ready to Move on Already

All season long, we’ve seen the Minnesota Vikings find ways to win games, even during weeks that they did not bring their best effort for all 60 minutes. Tonight, we were reminded of what it looks like when a team does the opposite, making losing plays at all the worst moments.

A Bears loss would mark their eighth in a row, the second-longest losing streak in franchise history. During this skid, they’ve dismissed offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and head coach Matt Eberflus. In short, our Windy City rival is in shambles.

But let’s be honest, that doesn’t guarantee a Minnesota Vikings victory, come Monday. So, let’s explore five key stats from the Chicago Bears’ seven-game losing streak that Vikings fans should know before this week 15 rivalry game kicks off.

Caleb Williams doesn’t just give the ball away — ZERO interceptions during 7-game losing streak

Somehow, the Chicago Bears have found a way to lose seven-straight games, even though their starting quarterback has gone that entire stretch without throwing an interception. According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, this is the longest streak by any rookie starting quarterback since 1950.

How is that even possible? Well… it shouldn’t be. In a game where turnovers lead to losses more than any stat in the box score, the Bears can’t buy a win even though their QB refuses to turn the ball over. It’s possible Caleb Williams proves himself as a prospect so good that he couldn’t be screwed up. But man, the Bears sure are trying.

Unfortunately (from a Vikings' perspective) Caleb Williams had a really, really good day against Minnesota.

Tight window throws, impressive scrambles, and high level processing against the blitz. He understands the game. Did throw a few balls into harms way but wasn't punished. pic.twitter.com/GOojzVfyah

— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) November 26, 2024

Of course, Williams is far from perfect. Per Pro Football Focus (PFF), the rookie has recorded six turnover-worthy plays, in the last three games alone. That includes three against the Vikings, in Week 12, a career high. The mission for Minnesota’s defense on Monday: Take advantage of the opportunities Caleb presents them.

Rookie QB is holding the ball too long again — 3.41 time to throw vs Lions

When Waldron was fired as OC and play-caller, after week 10, passing game coordinator Thomas Brown took over offensive play-calling duties. Initially, this seemed to help Williams. According to Next Gen Stats, Williams averaged 2.42 seconds to throw in both weeks 11 and 12, a season low.

Latest Injury Report: One Minnesota Vikings Starter Remains Sidelined, Others Getting Healthier

But the past two games, we’ve seen a definitive regression. Against the Lions in Week 13, Williams held the ball for 3.41 seconds—a season high. Last week against the 49ers, he brought it back down toward his season average, of 2.86 seconds.

More time holding onto the football usually means more sacks being taken. Caleb Williams’ 2024 game logs are a perfect example of that. He’s been sacked 12 times in the last two weeks, vs just 6 times in weeks 11 and 12, immediately following the play-caller change. On the season, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick has been sacked 56 times, the most of any other NFL QB.

Yetur Gross-Matos has sacked Caleb Williams three times today. #49ers pic.twitter.com/xj2TWvn0f5

— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) December 9, 2024

Caleb Williams is on pace to be sacked SEVENTY THREE times this year 😮 pic.twitter.com/YVPHB9k0iR

— Marquee Bears (@BearsMarquee) December 14, 2024

Chicago Bears making an effort to get the ball to D.J. Moore – 28 receptions in last four games

After a run of seven weeks (six games) earlier this season, in which DJ Moore failed to record more than five receptions, the 27-year-old former first round pick has caught six or more passes in each of the Bears’ last four contests, though his production has been sliding again, of late (just 49 yards on 6 receptions last week).

Quicker passes in the first Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings matchup, back in Week 12, helped Moore post one of his best games of the season. He racked up a total of seven catches for a season-high 106 yards.

The Maryland alum also caught this game-saving rope from Caleb Williams, a gorgeous throw between two levels of Minnesota’s secondary. This was a key play to Chicago forcing overtime that afternoon.

Game on the line, Caleb Williams stepped up in the pocket and delivered a dime to DJ Moore between several Vikings defenders to set up the game-tying kick. What a throw in a clutch spot. pic.twitter.com/B2DWZw7r3u

— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) November 25, 2024

A significant portion of this production came on quick plays. Four of his receptions were caught behind the line of scrimmage, accounting for 63 yards. Additionally, Moore attempted a backward pass that nearly resulted in a touchdown to fellow wideout Rome Odunze. The throw narrowly fell incomplete in the end zone.

Chicago defense struggling to stop the run — Minnesota Vikings gained 124 yards rushing in week 12

Chicago’s defense absolutely shares plenty of the blame for their seven-game losing skid, especially against the run. The Bears have allowed at least 100 yards on the ground vs each and every opponent during this historic losing streak.

Opposing running backs are averaging 154.3 rushing yards per game in that time, too, which may be an even uglier stat. This brutal stretch of rush defense has pushed their defensive ranking in rush yards allowed per game all the way down to 28th in the NFL. That includes vs the Minnesota Vikings a few weeks ago, who tallied 124 rushing yards on 27 carries (4.6 YPC).

Aaron Jones’ fumbling issues were felt in week 12, but he still managed 106 yards, on 22 carries, and scored two total touchdowns. Not only did Jones have one of his best games, as a Viking, but T.J. Hockenson (7 Rec, 114 Yds) and Jordan Addison (8 Rec, 162 Yds, 1 TD) feasted too.

Aaron Jones runs 40+ yards for the Vikes into the goal line. pic.twitter.com/JcOCz346Nj

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) November 24, 2024

The Chicago Bears’ defense was on a mission to stop Justin Jefferson, in their first matchup. You could argue its effectiveness. Sure, they held Justin to just two receptions and 27 yards. But the Bears’ two-high bracket coverage opened up everything else within the Vikings’ offense especially in the run and play-action game.

Last week vs the Falcons, Minnesota unleashed a more refined version of that same balanced attack to dismantle the Falcons, and take some pressure off JJ. It worked and Sam Darnold had his best day, as a Viking. They’ll look to punish Chicago the same way, if they choose to focus on Jefferson again this time around.

Chicago Bears have been starting slow — 53 yards of offense in 1st half last week

The Bears’ offense has struggled to start games over the past two weeks. On Thanksgiving against the Lions, they managed only 53 yards of offense in the first half. Last week, they gained just four yards in the first half against the 49ers—the lowest total for any NFL offense in a first half since 2000.

While Chicago rebounded with 248 yards in the second half against Detroit, they couldn’t replicate that success against San Francisco, managing only 158 second-half yards. Minnesota will need to sustain second-half efforts to avoid another late rally from the Bears, as happened in Week 12.

Related: Sounds Like Kirk Cousins New Teammates are Ready to Move on Already

With their division rival in the house on Monday night, if the Minnesota Vikings’ offense can limit turnovers and the defense can contain Caleb Williams, our favorite football team should be 12-2, entering week 16 of the 2024 NFL season.

With Chicago’s run defense struggling, the Vikings may find another opportunity to establish dominance on the ground—and potentially get Aaron Jones involved in a big way.

Caleb Williams, the first overall pick, has had a rookie season full of highs and lows. Still, he’s definitely flashed his potential, especially with his playmaking skills on display today.

Williams put up an impressive 340 yards and two touchdowns, showing he’s the real deal. Even though it wasn’t enough to secure the win, he left no doubt that he’s going to be a force to reckon with in the NFC North for years to come.

Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams throws shade at Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold delivered another solid performance, throwing for 330 yards and two touchdowns. Even Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams took notice… but maybe not in the best way.

During his postgame press conference, Darnold’s fellow USC alumni got to talking a little too fast, and accidentally (we think) fired a pretty ugly stray at Sam, noting that he was surprised at how O’Connell ‘even had Sam Darnold balling’.

Every QB wants to play for #Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell. #Bears QB Caleb Williams weighing in on it this week 👀

“He has Sam Darnold, even… out there balling”
pic.twitter.com/tIu0wrERbM

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) November 25, 2024

“Met him at the draft and all these different things, so when someone comes over to you, that’s having guys, even guys like Sam Darnold is out there balling. He’s been a great coach so far, I believe, and those encouraging words are important.”

Caleb Williams postgame Vikings vs Bears

Williams gave Coach Kevin O’Connell a lot of praise, saying they first met at the draft earlier this year. Williams threw a dig at Sam Darnold, saying he’s surprised by Darnold’s strong play this season, due to O’Connell’s coaching.

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Nail-biting OT Win Over the Chicago Bears

It’s also funny to note that both Darnold and Williams come from USC. Williams spent his last two seasons there, while Darnold played for the Trojans from 2015 to 2017.

This is just the beginning of what could be a long standing matchup between Kevin O’Connell and Caleb Williams. While O’Connell came out on top today, we can expect plenty of exciting and fun games between these two for years to come.

And today’s victory did not come easy. Even with the Vikings leading by two touchdowns in the 4th quarter, the Bears never died. A mad 4th quarter surge by Caleb Williams & Co., combined with some late Minnesota mistakes and the first onside kick recovery of the NFL season, led to a game-tying Bears field goal that put this one into overtime.

What we learned about the gritty (not Griddy) Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears

Thankfully, the Minnesota Vikings defense was able to get a hold, to start OT, and Sam Darnold was money in the extra session. Chicago may have kicked a game-tying field goal to force overtime, but Will Reichard’s replacement, John Parker Romo, made the game-winner, with just over two minutes remaining in the extra session.

The now 9-win Vikings proved a lot, on Sunday. Not all of the takeaways were positive, but this team showed fight and walked out of an extremely hostile environment with a division win, and that’s all that matters. Over a hard-fought 60 minutes of football, here’s what we learned.

Jordan Addison officially freed.

It’s been a few weeks since Jordan Addison may or may not have complained about his role in the Minnesota Vikings’ offense, with his now infamous “Free 3” post on Instagram. But Addison’s social media posts won’t be a concern for Kevin O’Connell & Co tonight.

Not only was Addison a main feature of the Vikings’ offense this week, he was the entire passing offense, for most of the game. At one point early in the 3rd quarter, the former USC and Pitt star accounted for 126 of Minnesota’s 150 receiving yards, including this absurd catch with former Gopher Terell Smith draped all over him.

JORDAN ADDISON 💪💪💪

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/VOUwHrtAWj

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 24, 2024

Did Jordan Addison stay in bounds? Incredible footwork pic.twitter.com/2MLRphyH6b

— Thomas Sullivan (@Yfz84) November 24, 2024

When the final whistle blew in overtime, Jordan Addison reeled in 8 of his 9 targets for 162 yards and 1 touchdown. The 22-year-old wideout was the only reliable target for Sam Darnold, through regulation, on a day where Justin Jefferson was limited to only 2 receptions for 27 yards, the second of which came on the Vikings’ only OT drive.

Related: Several Former USC Trojans Dominate In Wild NFL Week 14 Matchup

If teams are going to continue to take away JJ, this is how Addison needs to play every week, and his QB needs to make sure to find him. Week 12 proved how deadly he can be, when left open. On the day, Darnold went 22-of-34 for 330 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was especially good in overtime, going 4-of-4 for 60 yards, which led to the game-winning field goal.

Aaron Jones revenge game… except

Speaking of offensive help for Justin Jefferson, let’s talk about Aaron Jones’ day. The Minnesota Vikings 1st year veteran running back, who turns 30-years-old this week, had himself a nice little revenge game in Chicago.

On 22 carries, Jones posted 106 yards on the ground, at an average of 4.8 YPC. It was only his second 100-yard game in purple. The first came all the way back in September, vs the Houston Texans. Jones also found paydirt for the first time in over a month (Oct. 20).

Aaron Jones runs 40+ yards for the Vikes into the goal line. pic.twitter.com/JcOCz346Nj

— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) November 24, 2024

Aaron Jones told media members this week that his rib injury was feeling a lot better, than last week, leading up to one of the worst performances of his Minnesota Vikings career. That was all washed away on Sunday, for the most part.

Related: Mike Florio is Bored with the 2024 Minnesota Vikings

In a game that ended up in overtime, we can’t forget his first quarter fumble, where he had a ball ripped away from him at the Bears’ 1-yard-line, as the Vikings were about to score on their first drive of the game. It was Jones’ third lost fumble in the last two weeks.

Special Teams matter

There may not be a game played in the NFL all season that magnifies special teams play, like Bears vs Vikings, week 12. Not only did Chicago have yet another field goal blocked, something that has proven to be a huge issue for them, but their punt returner, DeAndre Carter also let a punt hit him in the foot, which Minnesota recovered.

But in the closing minutes of this contest, the Bears’ special teams gave them an insane chance at a comeback victory. After being down 14 points earlier in the 4th quarter, the aforementioned DeAndre Carter returned a Minnesota Vikings kickoff beyond midfield.

That allowed Chicago to find the endzone, and pull the game within a field goal, with just 22 seconds remaining. Then, the Bears recovered the first onside kick of the NFL season, after it hit Johnny Mundt in the foot and a black jersey fell on the football.

Bears recover the onside kick!

📺: #MINvsCHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/3JVpREri2f

— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2024

That gave Chicago a chance at a game-tying field goal, as time expired. This, just one week after they had a game-winner blocked vs Green Bay. This week, of course, they converted, pushing Bears vs Vikings into overtime, with the score tied at 27-27.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Activate Tight End from Injured Reserve

Before we finish up this Special Teams portion of this article, we need to touch on John Parker Romo (or Parker Romo), who did not have a kicking job just a few weeks ago. Since joining the Minnesota Vikings, Romo has hit all eight of his field goal attempts, including three more today, from 26, 40 and 29 yards, the last of which came in OT and walked Minnesota off in Chicago.

PARKER ROMO WITH THE OVERTIME GAME-WINNER!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/bruE60mEQ4

— San Antonio Brahmas (@XFLBrahmas) November 24, 2024

Caleb Williams is going to cause the Minnesota Vikings problems for a long time

The biggest takeaway from today’s game may have been more of a long-term observation. I hadn’t watched a lot of Chicago Bears football this season, but I don’t need to see anything further on Caleb Williams. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick is going to be a problem for the entire NFL, but especially teams in the NFC North, for a long time.

He made his fair share of mistakes on Sunday. He forced balls, threw low and threw high. But overall, it was one hell of a performance by the Bears’ new franchise QB. Sam Darnold threw two touchdowns in the first half vs the Bears. But Caleb Williams, on 16-of-22 passing in the first two quarters, more than doubled Darnold’s yardage, 176 to 81.

These back-to-back throws by Caleb Williams are a perfect example why the hype was as high as it was for him pic.twitter.com/VeIHPE1UE3

— Football Digest (@FoootballDigest) November 24, 2024

In the 2nd half, Williams didn’t get as many opportunities, but he took advantage of what he did get, especially in the 4th quarter, when he led the Bears on a 10-play, 64-yard drive for a touchdown that cut the Minnesota Vikings lead from 14 to 8, after a failed two-point conversion.

Report: Report: Minnesota Vikings are a Favorite to Land QB Daniel Jones

When the dust settled in Chicago on Sunday afternoon, Williams finished 32-of-47 for 340 yards, 2 TD and 0 INTs (103.1 QB rating). He takes chances and tries to fit balls where they may not be able to go, but that’s because he trusts his incredible arm talent, and his feel for the game. After watching him today, Bears fans should too.

It’s been a disappointing season for the Bears, and the stats reflect that. They need almost every break possible to go their way if they want to make the playoffs, and they still have five division games yet to play. The Minnesota Vikings have won four consecutive games at Soldier Field and are favored to extend that streak to five this week.

Let’s look at five Bears stats to keep an eye on for Sunday’s game.

No Chicago Bears passing touchdowns in four games

The Bears entered their Week 7 bye on fire. They were riding a three-game win streak where quarterback Caleb Williams had thrown seven touchdowns and only one interception. Said three-game win streak also came against the LA Rams, who were decimated by injuries, the Carolina Panthers, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Since the bye week, Williams has failed to throw a touchdown pass. The silver lining is that he has yet to throw an interception in that time, but the Bears would likely trade a turnover or two if they could get more sustained drives.

Last week was an improvement as Williams was 23-of-31 passing for 231 yards. But can they build on that against Brian Flores? Or will we see a regression to the mean for the 30th-ranked passing attack?

Williams is second on the Bears in rushing

Part of the reason for the Williams’ woes in the passing game is that he hasn’t been aided by a consistent running game. He is the Bears’ second-leading rusher with 306 yards on the season. That trails only running back D’Andre Swift, who leads the team with 635 yards on 155 carries for a 4.1-yard average.

Chicago will need a consistent attack against the Minnesota’s top-ranked run defense. The Vikings have held three straight opponents to 68 yards or fewer, including a season-low 33 yards last week against the Tennessee Titans.

Last week, Bears interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown helped the offense churn out 179 yards on the ground. 70 of those yards came from Williams on designed zone-read plays as well as him scrambling and breaking the pocket.

CALEB WILLIAMS. WOW 🤯

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/NJbnrJlbz4

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 17, 2024

Flores and the Minnesota Vikings defense will look to shut down the Bears’ run game and force them to be one-dimensional. The Titans tried to get quarterback Will Levis involved in the run game on zone-reads as well, but the Vikings snuffed them out. Will the Bears try the same with Williams after his success against the Packers? Or will the Vikings try to corral him the same way they did with Levis?

Chicago Bears wideouts failing to stretch the field

There was optimism before the season that the Bears’ offensive weapons would help ease Williams into the NFL. It’s the same reason Minnesota Vikings fans were so excited about JJ McCarthy (Jefferson, Addison, Hockenson) Unfortunately for them, the skill position players haven’t done enough in the passing game.

Only rookie wideout Rome Odunze (14.1 yards per reception) and tight end Cole Kmet (11.2 yards) are averaging at least 10 yards per reception. This is a receiving corps that includes D.J. Moore (9.8 yards) and Keenan Allen (9.4 yards).

Related: Minnesota Vikings Cut Another 2022 Defensive Back

It doesn’t help that among qualified passers (at least 24 attempts), Williams has been the most inaccurate passer on passes 20-plus yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He has completed only 9-of-41 passes on such passes with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Minnesota Vikings have been mostly great against the pass this season, but have had a few lapses, including a 98-yard touchdown last week. If Flores can force Williams to have to march down the field with 10-play drives and not give them any easy scores, the Bears’ downfield futility should continue.

Chance for the Minnesota Vikings running game to get on track

While the Bears’ pass defense has been solid this year (ninth in yards allowed), their run defense has been suspect. They rank 27th in yards per carry allowed (4.8) and have only held two teams to fewer than 100 yards on the ground all season.

This could give the Minnesota Vikings running game a chance to get back on track. They ran 33 times for 82 yards (2.48 yards per carry) against the Titans. Chicago doesn’t have the likes of defensive linemen Jeffrey Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat destroying the run game. Aaron Jones says his ribs are feeling better this week, too.

Like always, the Bears are taking the ball away

It feels like the Chicago Bears’ defense is always taking the ball away, especially when the Vikings go to Soldier Field. That’s been the case this year as well as the Bears have forced 17 turnovers, the seventh-most in the league. This includes nine interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Tight End Officially Ruled Out vs Bears

Sam Darnold protected the ball better in last week’s win over the Titans, although he was credited with a fumble on a pitch that slipped through Jones’ hands. But seven of the Minnesota Vikings 17 turnovers have come in the past three games. If there is one way to keep the overmatched Chicago Bears in this game, it will be if the Vikings get sloppy and turn the ball over.

Amidst the setbacks, Ben is trying to backfill with as much talent as he possibly can. But in a recruiting world that cares more about the bottom dollar than it does player/coach relationships, that’s a much more difficult task than it might seem.

Ben Johnson, Minnesota Gophers land Macalester phenom Caleb Williams

But recently, the Minnesota Gophers landed a commitment from Caleb Williams, a standout point guard from Macalester College in St. Paul, one of the better players Division III basketball ‘in the country last season.

He averaged 20 points, 4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game last season, a comparable statline to his career at Macalester. You might recall Williams from his impressive exhibition performance at Williams Arena against the Gophers last season, where he scored a shocking 41 points.

Highlights from former Wildcat Caleb Williams’ 41 point performance against D1 Minnesota pic.twitter.com/0h2T34W1Fx

— Wild Rose Boys Basketball (@wildrose_bball) November 3, 2023

How much NIL money was needed for Gophers to land Caleb Williams?

NIL has become a pivotal aspect of recruiting in today’s college basketball scene and recent reports indicate that the Gophers basketball program is struggling with limited resources to attract top talent. It’s a serious problem that Ben Johnson must get figured out, if he wants to keep his job.

Lucky for the 3-year head coach, Caleb Williams was willing to jump across the river and play with the Gophers for free. According to Charley Walter of the Pioneer Press, Williams simply felt at ease and preferred to remain close to home. Merry Christmas, Ben.

Incoming Gophers guard Caleb Williams, the 6-2 transfer who on Saturday was to graduate from Macalester with a double-major in mathematics and physics, is considering a masters program emphasizing mathematics and business for his final season at Minnesota. He had several transfer opportunities out of the NCAA portal.

“When I was on campus, everybody I talked to was really down to earth, and that made it easy to make a decision,” said Williams, 22, who scored 41 points against the Gophers in an exhibition game last season. “You automatically trust the people you’re talking to — it was a sense of comfort. And, wanting to stay home. It’s a great area and great basketball state.”

A NIL deal isn’t expected to be part of Williams’ transfer.

Charley Walters reporting on Minnesota Gophers transfer Caleb Williams

While it’s hard to know how talent from the DIII level will translate, I have no doubt that Williams did have plenty of power-4 options out of the portal, and at least a few probably had decent NIL opportunities. So if Ben Johnson was able to get him for free, then all the better.

Related: Gophers Receive Transfer Commitment from Oregon Guard

And according to Ryan James (247Sports), Caleb is an even better person than he is basketball player. He gets good grades and he’ll do the team’s laundry, if that is what’s required of him.

As good as Williams is on the floor, he’s even better off the floor.  This is a young man who did the team laundry after games and after practice.  He was named an Academic All-American for the second year in a row by the College Sports Communicators. Williams was included on the third team this year and was a first team selection a year ago. Caleb was a physics and mathematics double major at Macalester with a 3.94 grade point average through the Fall 2023 semester.

Ryan James – 247Sports

Unfortunately, Caleb’s commitment doesn’t solve the overarching problem that faces this men’s basketball program, which is an extremely limited NIL budget. An NIL budget that is reportedly four times smaller than that of Purdue and Illinois.

Ben may be proving himself nimble, given his available funds. Williams isn’t the only NIL worthy college basketball player that he has gotten for free (the other is NIL ineligible).

Related: Charlotte PG Lu’Cye Patterson Transferring to Hometown Gophers

So, congrats Ben. You secured a (hopefully) underrated talent out of the portal, for free. What a coup. Now, find some more money so you can pay to put some better pieces alongside Caleb, Dawson Garcia and Parker Fox. It’s a pivotal moment in Minnesota men’s basketball history, and in Johnson’s coaching tenure.

Today brought a mix of good and bad news. It didn’t get off to the best start when true freshman, Cam Christie entered the transfer portal. But things got better from there. First, they snagged a commitment from Macalester phenom Caleb Williams.

Locked in and ready to work. Thank you to everyone who believed. Ready to do some dirty work #gophers pic.twitter.com/WhsVj2YS1h

— Caleb Williams (@_CalebWilliams3) May 1, 2024

What will Caleb Williams bring to the Minnesota Gophers?

Caleb made quite the impression in an exhibition game between Macalester and Minnesota, before the Gophers season officially started, scoring an incredible 41 points. Having spent his first three years at Macalester, which is conveniently located in the twin cities, Caleb won’t have to move very far.

Back in early November, Williams had his moment in the spotlight at the barn. Now, with one more year of eligibility remaining, he’ll make entire season worth of memories at the historic Dinkytown arena.

Highlights from former Wildcat Caleb Williams’ 41 point performance against D1 Minnesota pic.twitter.com/0h2T34W1Fx

— Wild Rose Boys Basketball (@wildrose_bball) November 3, 2023

Williams demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout his Macalester career, starting in all 80 games he competed in. Excelling at the Division III level, now, as he transitions to playing for the Gophers at the Division I level, Williams is prepared to showcase his talents on a bigger stage.

Originally from Wild Rose, Wisconsin, Williams stands tall at 6 feet 2 inches. That 41 point exhibition performance was far from his only big showing this season. Against Concordia Moorhead, he dropped 51 points and averaged 20 points on 35.7 minutes per game.

Bro cold asl for that 🤧
(via aboveaveragetraining/TT) pic.twitter.com/eMWaO1gsta

— Overtime (@overtime) April 11, 2023

It’s a significant acquisition for Ben Johnson, who’s faced departures of key players like Elijah Hawkins, Josh Ola Joseph, Pharrell Payne, and Braden Carrington to the transfer portal this offseason. Despite these losses, Johnson remains actively engaged in boosting his roster and continues to seek out further talent from the transfer portal.

Femi Odukale Also Commits To Gophers

Just hours after Caleb Williams’ commitment, the Gophers received another boost with the addition of Femi Odukale, who has played for notable programs including Seton Hall, Pittsburgh and New Mexico State. Now, he’s set to bring his seasoned skills to Minnesota.

IFYKYK 〽️ pic.twitter.com/yVH09Q2aHL

— Fem Bucks (@showtime_Femi) May 1, 2024

Odukale has accumulated an impressive tally of 80 starts over the past four years. During his time at New Mexico State last year, he averaged 10.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while logging an average of 28.7 minutes.

Standing tall at 6 feet 5 inches and weighing in at 185 pounds, Odukale is designated as a guard, adding both physical stature and skill to this team’s lineup. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, he brings a unique flair and energy to the court.

Femi too, has just one year of eligibility remaining, but his recruitment marks a pivotal moment for Coach Ben Johnson’s efforts to fortify his 2024-25 roster, after significant departures to the transfer portal.

FEMI ODUKALE ‼️🔥💪@SetonHallMBB is back within 1 👀 pic.twitter.com/kACRDassF9

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 19, 2023