Vikings Named a “Bet to Target” in Week 1 by PFF
The Vikings will travel to Soldier Field for the opening dance of the 2025 NFL regular season for their primetime Week 1 matchup with their division rival, the Chicago Bears, on Monday Night Football on ESPN.
In what will be the first taste of J.J. McCarthy for Vikings fans and Ben Johnson for Bears fans, this matchup will likely be a bit different from the Monday Night snooze-fests we’ve received from these two clubs over the past couple of seasons.
If all goes as it should, this should be an offensive fire-fest, with Ben Johnson bringing an offense to the Windy City that its inhabitants have been awaiting since the inception of the franchise. This should finally be the year that the Bears get their ever-elusive 4,000-yard passer for the first time in franchise history, and we can finally stop making fun of the Bears for not having one, but hopefully not.
Vikings Enter Week 1 as Underdogs
PFF noted a couple of Week 1 matchups to perhaps bet some United States currency on, responsibly, of course. One of these matchups was the beloved Vikings facing those smelly Chicago Bears. The line opened up with the Vikings being +1.5-point ‘dogs.
The Bears are the home team in this showdown, so it is important to note that they get a 3-point bump against the spread for homefield advantage, so really, the betting markets actually think the Vikings are the stronger team, but the fact that they’re on the road for this one makes them underdogs.
Here is PFF breaking down why it may not be a bad idea to place a responsible bet on our Vikings against the Bears on the opening edition of Monday Night Football on ESPN in 2025:
“There’s uncertainty on both sides heading into this Week 1 matchup. For Minnesota, it’s how J.J. McCarthy looks in his first NFL action after missing his entire rookie season. For Chicago, it’s whether new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson can get the most out of Caleb Williams and a retooled group of pass-catchers.
Minnesota’s biggest issue late last season was Sam Darnold’s tendency to hold onto the ball and the offensive line’s inability to protect him. The Vikings addressed that by bringing in three new starters along the interior offensive line. That upgrade should help significantly, even if star left tackle Christian Darrisaw isn’t ready for Week 1. Combined with the team’s receiving talent and Kevin O’Connell calling plays, McCarthy is positioned for success, especially against a Bears defense that ranked 31st in success rate allowed from Week 10 through the end of the season.
It’s reasonable to expect growth from Williams in Year 2 with Johnson now at the controls, but the Bears still have plenty to prove. Minnesota beat Chicago twice last season, finished with nine more wins and looks like the better team entering 2025. It’s surprising to see them open as underdogs.“
A New Era Begins at Soldier Field
Either way, whichever team wins or loses, a new era will be afoot for both teams and the NFC North division as a whole. McCarthy vs. Williams will be a common occurrence within the confines of the division for a nice, long time, and while their Week 1 first-handshake at the professional level is important, it may be inconsequential in the long term.
Say these two kids are their franchise’s respective QBs for 15 years; that’s around 30 meetings throughout the regular seasons and playoffs, give or take some due to injury and whatever else happens in the wild-west that the NFL proudly is. However, even though it’s inconsequential, why not throw a doubloon or two on your favorite team to beat a rival?
What could go wrong?
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