(Photo: 247Sports)
As many Chicago Bears fans are well aware, second-year quarterback JJ McCarthy grew up in the Chicagoland area, rooting for the hometown team. After being selected tenth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the rival Vikings, that won't be in the cards for McCarthy anymore—at least for the two times a year the NFC North foes face each other.
Last season, McCarthy tore his meniscus in the preseason—wiping out his entire rookie season and any physical practice reps. For all intents and purposes, McCarthy is essentially a rookie again. Monday night will be the first time he has ever played in an NFL game that counts and where an opponent is specifically game-planning for his team. With the only film on McCarthy being his limited preseason reps in the NFL and his college tape, how will Dennis Allen and the defense prepare for the rookie in his pro debut—and the start of this new Bears era under Ben Johnson?
On Friday, Dennis Allen met with the media and was asked about that limited film on McCarthy, the emotions of him coming back home to play in his first game and how the Bears prepare for that.
"Well look, I think first and foremost we have to prepare for the system," Allen said. "And then we have to, as you do every single season, you have to go into an opening-season game and you have to prepare for unscouted looks. We're going to see something that we haven't seen yet. So, we really have got to be able to prepare for the system and then we've got to be ready to adjust."
Allen recgonized that there was limited tape on McCarthy, so it could be a little bit of a challenge early on. However, like any quarterback, the defense will have to be ready to adjust during the game.
"We obviously studied him coming out," Allen said. "We got a chance to see him in a couple of preseason games. And yet, we don't have a lot of film on him, so we'll have to be ready to adjust and see how they're trying to call the game with him."
New Bears defensive tackle and team captain Grady Jarrett also met with reporters in the locker room on Wednesday, and was posed similar questions about McCarthy. Asked what to key in on when facing a young QB making his first start, Jarrett also brought up those "unscouted looks", but mentioned staff continuity, as well.
"First games, there's always so much unknown stuff, but at the end of the day, they have had the same coach and coordinators for a little minute," Jarrett said. "There will obviously be some unscouted looks. The good thing about those first games is you go out there, just practice the things you practiced during training camp and hopefully the rules will hold up for you and you come up with a good outcome."
Like Allen, Jarrett also pointed to adjustments that need to be made, especially with the unscouted looks that will happen in the game. With Kevin O'Connell presenting an offensive presence, it will be critical the Bears can make those adjustments when needed.
"I think you said it, the ability to adjust mid-game and see what we're getting and see how we can make things work in our favor and even better if things aren't going in our favor," Jarrett said. "Obviously, the in-game adjustments, especially early on in the season, are going to be critical."
O'Connell no doubt has a plan for playing winning football whilst simultaneously developing his young QB McCarthy. Expect the Bears to also show McCarthy plenty of those "unscouted looks" from the defensive side, setting up an interesting chess match.
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