LAKE FOREST, Ill., — We will get our first look at the Chicago Bears defense under new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen on Monday night as the team opens up against J.J. McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings. It's a game that will feature two really good defensive coordinators going up against young quarterbacks in McCarthy and Williams.
The difference in the game could be which quarterback settles in first and can figure out what the opposing defense is doing, making adjustments. But for the Bears defense, they are welcoming the chance to go up against McCarthy and an offense that features Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. Defensive back Jaylon Johnson, who missed all of training camp and preseason with a groin injury, is hopeful he can play.
Facing off against Jefferson and that offense is enticing for Johnson.
"I feel like for me, I'm more enticed to go against JJ (Justin Jefferson) than the quarterback, per se," Johnson said. "But hopefully there are some passes that are left inside for me to be able to intercept on certain coverages or whatever the case may be. We're looking forward to disrupting him a lot."
McCarthy grew up just outside of Chicago in La Grange Park, playing for Nazareth Academy before transferring to IMG and then committing and playing at Michigan. Growing up in the Chicago area, McCarthy was familiar with Bears defenses, something the franchise prides themselves on.
Now, in his first career start in the NFL, McCarthy will face the team he grew up rooting for and will have a tough challenge ahead with Chicago's defense awaiting him. It's likely that Kevin O'Connell and the offense will try to make it easy for him to open up the game and get into a rhythm. And that's exactly what the Bears are expecting on Monday.
"At the end of the day, they're going to make it easy for him," Tyrique Stevenson said. "So it's just really about what we do, not about what they do, so we got to go out there, and play these calls, give them different looks, give them different disguises, and make him win the game through the air pretty much."
While it is McCarthy's first start, he is in a really good situation for a young quarterback. Not only does he have an All-Pro in Jefferson, he has a revamped offensive line as well as one of the top offensive minds in the game. Still, the Bears are hoping that they can force McCarthy into some tough mistakes by just playing their style of defense and not trying to do too much.
"Just playing our type of defense. Don't do too much. Don't be Superman," Jaquan Brisker said. "Just playing our defense and eventually he will force one, whether it's in the air or it's on the ground, I know it's gonna come out at some point. That's the type of defense we have and being confident in what DA's gonna call."
Not a VIP subscriber to the Bear Report? Sign up now to get access to everything publisher Zack Pearson and the entire Bear Report team have to offer on all things Chicago Bears and access to the No. 1 site covering the team!