'MNF' takeaways: Vikings spoil Ben Johnson's Bears debut

Another primetime NFL game, another incredible comeback.

The Minnesota Vikings capped Week 1 of the 2025 regular season with a  27-24 come-from-behind win over the Chicago Bears.

Here are our takeaways from a Monday night stunner.

Knee-jerk reaction: Different coach, same old Chicago Bears

It only took one game for Ben Johnson to get the full Bears experience. What looked like a celebratory first game as head coach instead looked like a lot of other Bears games over the years, with a promising defensive effort overshadowed by offensive ineptitude.

After scoring an opening-drive touchdown, Chicago's offense was held to three points the rest of the game, with the team's lone other touchdown coming on a Nahshon Wright pick-six.

The defense played outstanding until the fourth quarter, when it allowed three Vikings touchdowns, unable to make up for the offense's shortcomings.

Quarterback Caleb Williams got worse as the game went along, constantly missing the equivalent of easy layups, taking sacks and getting flagged for intentional grounding. He finished 21-of-35 for 210 yards and one touchdown, displaying the same frustrating inconsistencies that hampered his rookie season.

Johnson could still have a successful first season, but Week 1 revealed he doesn't just have the deep NFC North to contend with. He also must exorcise the Bears' demons.

Game MVP: Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy's remarkable comeback after a horrendous start will get most of the headlines, but Minnesota wouldn't have completed its comeback without 2025 free-agent signing Jordan Mason's contributions.

The former San Francisco 49ers back led the Vikings on the ground, finishing with 15 carries for 68 yards (4.5 yards per carry). Mason did the majority of his damage in the fourth as Minnesota mounted its comeback, gaining 53 yards on nine carries during the final frame

But as phenomenal as he was running the ball, his best play might have been one that didn't show up on the stat sheet. Mason had a key block in pass protection on the Vikings' first fourth-quarter touchdown, which cut the Bears' lead to 17-12, picking up blitzing linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and Noah Sewell and giving McCarthy time to find two-time All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson in the end zone.