JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
We made it, Minnesota Vikings fans. Tonight, the Vikings will finally play a regular season football game for the first time in approximately nine months. And without a doubt, this is the most anticipated season in recent memory.
All that anxiousness locally has only grown heavier over the last few days, while MN Vikings fans watched and waited impatiently for 30 other teams to play out week one of the 2025 NFL regular season.
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Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears Cheatsheet
But now we are finally here, just hours away from week 1’s Monday Night Football grand finale in the Windy City between the Vikings and one of three NFC North rivals to the east, the Chicago Bears.
Below is a pregame cheat sheet that includes how to watch/listen to the game, along with up-to-date injuries and uniform numbers for each new Minnesota Vikings player. Below that, we will get into tonight’s key storylines and matchups.
How to watch and/or listen to MNF: Vikings vs Bears
Kickoff Time: 7:15 PM
Channel: ESPN, ABC | ESPN2 (Alternate “Manningcast”)
PBP: Joe Buck, Analyst: Troy Aikman
Stream: ESPN App
Listen: KFAN Radio – 100.3 FM
*Stream radio broadcast on iHeartRadio
*** For more, visit our Minnesota Vikings game today post, which includes current betting lines, how to watch and more*
Vikings vs Bears latest injury updates
The Minnesota Vikings have been dealing with injuries up and down the roster, throughout training camp and the preseason. After sitting out with a hamstring injury for most of the summer, Justin Jefferson was not on any of the Vikings injury reports that came out this week.
Others starters who have been banged up — including Jalen Nailor and Andrew Van Ginkel — all plan to play, asa well. The only starter officially ruled out due to illness/injury is veteran safety Harrison Smith, while left tackle Christian Darrisaw enters the day as “questionable”.
S Harrison Smith (illness) has been downgraded to out and will not travel with the team. pic.twitter.com/ZU92QFc9rk
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 7, 2025
#MINvsCHI final injury report
OUT: Zavier Scott and Elijah Williams
DOUBTFUL: Harrison Smith
QUESTIONABLE: Christian Darrisaw pic.twitter.com/7IbuPOIiDB
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 6, 2025
Harrison Smith tried, but failed to get his body ready for week one, following a weeks-long battle with a mysterious illness that we still know very little about. By all accounts, he’s fine mentally and should be ready to go for week two. Any injury updates throughout the day will be added to this article.
New Minnesota Vikings uniform numbers
Vikings Offense (starters in bold)
(WR) Adam Thielen: #19
(RB) Jordan Mason: #27
(G) Donovan Jackson: #74
(G) Will Fries: #76
(C) Ryan Kelly: #78
(QB) Carson Wentz: #11
(QB) Max Brosmer: #12
(WR) Tai Felton: #13
(OL) Justin Skule: #67
(TE) Ben Yurosek: #85
Vikings Defense
(CB) Isaiah Rodgers: #2
(CB) Jeff Okudah: #8
(DL) Jonathan Allen: #93
(DL) Javon Hargrave: #97
(S) Tavierre Thomas: #37
(LB) Kobe King: #41
(LB) Eric Wilson: #50
(LB) Austin Keys: #56
(LB) Chaz Chambliss: #57
(OLB) Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins: #90
MN Vikings uniform number changes for 2025
WR Myles Price: #4 (was #31)
CB Dwight McGlothern: #6 (was #29)
OLB Bo Richter: #98 (was #54)
Vikings vs Bears Top Storylines and Keys to Victory
Before this one kicks off at 7:15 PM, here is a quick preview/review of key matchups, storylines and other items to help Minnesota Vikings fans catch up on anything should know and watch for, heading into this division matchup against the Bears.
The debut of JJ McCarthy
There is no arguing tonight’s top storyline. After sitting out all of 2024 due to a torn meniscus, Minnesota’s No. 10 overall pick from last year’s NFL Draft will finally take his first regular season snap tonight vs the Chicago Bears, the team the grew up cheering for as a kid, just 30 minutes outside Chicago.
McCarthy has looked good during training camp and in the little preseason work he was allowed. Still, people fear the unknown. The Vikings have one of the best overall rosters in the NFL, but until JJ proves he can competently lead them, your belief in the Vikings resides in your blind faith in the redshirt rookie QB.
JJ McCarthy last 5 games played:
•Snapped Vikings’ 10-game preseason losing streak
•Won the natty
•Sent Nick Saban into retirement
•Won B1G title
•Beat Ohio State. Again.
pic.twitter.com/WMYFwOWZNd
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) August 9, 2025
Before you let that MN sports fan anxiety kick in, though, let’s remember that Kevin O’Connell might be the greatest QB coaching mind in the league right now. And he essentially stiff armed three current starting quarterbacks, in favor of McCarthy — Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones and Aaron Rodgers.
So if KOC believes, we should too, right? Those kinds of questions will finally start to die off tonight, when we get to see our new franchise QB throw the ball, make pre-snap decisions, post-snap reads and finally show the world for himself whether or not he is cut out for this job.
Kevin O’Connell’s “New Look” Offense (with Adam Thielen)
Knowing JJ McCarthy was taking over under center, MN Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has committed very publicly to run the ball more. McCarthy wasn’t a volume passer at Michigan and the Vikings want to bring him along slowly.
To help ensure the historically pass-happy play-caller keeps his ground and pound promise, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah rebuilt Minnesota’s offensive line and traded another starting running back, Jordan Mason, to help tag-team carries with now 31-year-old Aaron Jones.
Vikings RB Jordan Mason pic.twitter.com/s3APE2xYVt
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) July 20, 2025
But as the saying goes, it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Once bodies start flying around on Monday night, does KOC stick to the ground game, or revert back to old habits? And how does JJ McCarthy’s live performance make an impact on playcalling? Tonight, we’ll get some answers to that 2025 question, and much more.
Minnesota would’ve been forced to rely even heavier on the ground attack, had they not pulled off a last-minute trade with the Carolina Panthers at the end of training camp, that brought Adam Thielen back home. With Jordan Addison out serving a three-game suspension, Thielen will lineup opposite Jefferson, as WR2.
There have been whispers that he might be washed and retirement is reportedly right around the corner, as we all wait with baited breath to find out how open a 36-year-old overachiever can still get in KOC’s offense.
More Pregame Reading Material
Brian Flores vs Ben Johnson
Minnesota Vikings DC Brian Flores is widely considered one of the two or three best defensive coordinators in the NFL. Ben Johnson, after three very successful seasons as Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, is in his first year as Chicago Bears head coach.
While in Detroit, Johnson was one of the only offensive play-callers in the NFL who seemed to have Brian Flores’ defense figured out. The Lions scored 30 points on the Vikings in both of their 2023 matchups, then put up 31 in both games last season. Oh, and Minnesota took L’s in all four.
Brian Flores VS. Ben Johnson
I LOVE THE NFL pic.twitter.com/taeNYaJa0p
— Albear (@ChicagoBears_mx) January 6, 2025
To make the matchup scarier, the Vikings enter tonight’s game with just four cornerbacks on the active 53-man roster, only one of which was a starter last season. Can the new-look Minnesota pass rush get home and create enough havoc to make life difficult on Williams? If not, all signs point to a tough day on defense for the Vikings.
To add some fuel onto a fire that doesn’t need any extra, it’s worth noting that there has been very little interest in Brian Flores on the head coaching carousel in recent years, despite his semi-successful head coaching background and smothering defensive schemes.
Related: It’s Pretty Much a Contract Year for One Key Vikings Pass-Catcher
An active lawsuit against the league and past QB coaching drama will do that even to the best coaches. Nonetheless, it has to bother Flores a bit that Ben Johnson was the Bell of last offseason’s head coaching carousel.
Unlike Flores, who got a couple preliminary interviews only, Ben had his choice of just about any head coaching vacancy in the league. Ultimately, he chose the Bears and 2024 No. 1 overall pick, Caleb Williams. I can’t imagine Flores would love anything more than to show up Johnson with the entire nation and league watching.
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