The question on everyone’s mind tonight was simple: who would emerge victorious when the Vikings hosted the Bears under Monday Night Football lights? The Vikings had won 8 of the last 10 meetings—and in fact, this was yet another of those matchups where that edge seemed to matter. The betting markets had them as slight favorites: many had the Vikings at −1.5, moneyline odds around −115, while the Bears were sitting close to even or slight plus money. Bet365 had Minnesota at $1.77 and Chicago at $2.10 . Sportsbook Review showed Vikings −115 moneyline, Bears −105, spread similarly −1.5 Vikings ). And other models varied—some thought Bears +1.5 was the best valu others leaned slightly toward Minnesota 60% to cover . Some projections even gave the home underdog Bears an edge, citing McCarthy’s first start and Chicago’s improved offense under Ben Johnson
But what unfolded on the field gave us an entirely new chapter in this rivalry. Behind the scenes, anticipation was thick: Bears rookie Caleb Williams, stepping in under his new coach, had the home crowd buzzing; the Vikings countered with J.J. McCarthy making his NFL debut after a knee injury sidelined him all of his rookie year. Fans could sense this was about more than Week 1—it felt like a burgeoning storyline of franchise-defining moments.
As kickoff arrived, Chicago struck first. Williams looked sharp and composed, delivering early success that turned into a pick‑6—suddenly the Bears were up by double digits, 17‑6. At that point, ESPN’s analytics had Chicago as a near-certain winner—some numbers even floated in the 90 percent win probability range . It was as confident a moment as the Bears had seen in a long while.
Yet beneath the surface, something shifted. McCarthy’s poise began to reassert itself; though he’d thrown the pick, he rallied through adversity. The Vikings’ defense tightened, forcing pivotal third‑down stops—six in a row at one point Then came the magic: a 27‑yard touchdown pass following a blatant interference call, setting the stage for the fourth quarter’s fireworks (
By the final stretch, momentum had fully flipped. McCarthy, having steadied himself, delivered two more touchdowns—one through the air and one with his legs. His 14‑yard rush with under three minutes left pushed Minnesota ahead 27‑17 . Chicago wasn’t done—they answered with a drive of their own and cut it to 27‑24—but the Vikings’ defense held firm, securing the win and delivering yet another dramatic chapter in their recent dominance over the Bears
Defensively, Minnesota’s late-game discipline was crucial. Offensively, McCarthy showed grit and flair in equal measure. Jefferson led in receiving with 44 yards and a touchdown, and his presence—alongside Aaron Jones stepping up in the running game—proved instrumental.
Chicago’s story was more complicated. Williams showed flashes: a passing and rushing touchdown, finishing with 210 passing yards and 58 on the ground. But there were cracks: penalties, a missed 50-yarder by kicker Cairo Santos, and increasingly passive defensive reads that allowed Minnesota to methodically take over The collapse raised questions about execution and composure in crunch time under new coach Ben Johnson
On the Vikings side, the joy of the comeback win was tempered slightly by emerging concerns: linebacker Blake Cashman pulled his hamstring, and safety Jeff Okudah entered concussion protocol. Both could prove significant if unavailable in coming weeks
So, who would take the win tonight? In the end, with momentum shifting, poise from a rookie QB, and clutch defensive stops, it was Minnesota — in dramatic, emotional fashion. The betting markets that favored the Vikings held true—but not before making everyone sweat. The tales of surging leads, comeback grit, and defining debut moments are what make football nights like this electric.Let me know if you’d like a breakdown by player performance, key turning points, or what this might mean for both teams in Week 2 and beyond.
