Why Bears should love season-opening matchup against Vikings

1. Home Field

Letting Johnson start his career at Soldier Field at least gives him one less worry and it also makes it easier on the offensive line without crowd noise as a factor.

2. Johnson

He so far has owned Brian Flores' defenses as a play caller. The Lions haven't scored less than 30 points against the Vikings since Flores was Vikings defensive coordinator. The Lions won 31-29, 31-9, 30-20 and 30-24 over the Vikings in those games.

3. QB J.J. McCarthy

It's slated to be the first NFL game for the Vikings QB. Sure, it's a homecoming for him because he's from the area, but he's never faced a live NFL defense and he's going to need to do it on the road, against a team with a new defensive coordinator and scheme. He also is playing behind a totally revamped offensive line in their first regular-season game playing together and it's going to be noisy and electric at Soldier Field, which disrupts his blocking.

McCarthy has plenty of dangerous weapons but this guarantee nothing if he is hesitant against the rush, doesn't read the coverage correctly or has Grady Jarrett or Gervon Dexter throwing him to the ground.

No rookie quarterback has led a team to a victory in their first road start in a game they were able to finish since 2022. Both Anthony Richardson for the Colts and Jaren Hall started road games their teams won as rookies in 2023 but both quarterbacks got knocked out of the games in the second quarter. Josh Doubs came on and led a Vikings win with Hall out and Gardner Minshew led the Colts win with Richardson out.

Jayden Daniels, C.J. Stroud, Caleb Williams, it didn't matter. None of them win in their road debut. None of the QBs taken in the 2024 draft did it. 

In 2022, it was easier. Brock Purdy, Bailey Zappe and Malik Willis all won their road debuts as rookies. Willis did it with 10 passes thrown. He handed off 32 times to Derrick Henry for 219 yards and Dontrell Hilliard for 83 yards.

Then again, who knows what will happen? Maybe the Vikings eventually do sign Aaron Rodgers and he starts. But don't count on it.

4. Caleb Williams

He has completed more passes against the Vikings than any opponent, 50, and has three touchdown passes to no interceptions against Minnesota. He also has a career 98.72 passer rating against the Vikings on 50 of 78 for 569 yards.