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The first three quarters were not pretty for the Vikings quarter of Minnesota JJ McCarthy at his first start of the NFL on Monday evening, but all that matters is what happens in the fourth quarter.
McCarthy led the Vikings during an exciting return, marking 21 points at the fourth quarter to defeat the Bears in Chicago, 27-24, on the road to start the 2025 NFL season.
Last season, McCarthy was on the sidelines with an injury to the end of the season suffered during the pre-season. He watched Sam Darnold conduct the Vikings to a 14-3 file, but McCarthy knew that from this campaign, it was in turn to do the work in the quarter-arre in the dynamic offensive of head coach Kevin O’Connell.
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The quarter of the Minnesota Vikings JJ McCarthy (9) precipitates the ball against the Bears in Chicago during the first half at Soldier Field on September 8, 2025. (Images Matt Marton / Imagn)
McCarthy had trouble doing this to start this game, while the defense of the Bears, led by the new coordinator Dennis Allen, wrote the right pressures to enlarge the young signal. He was only able to do Will Reichard in the range of goals on the field twice in the first half, while Caleb Williams and the Bears offensive took hot start under the new head coach Ben Johnson.
But the time of crisis in the fourth quarter, with the Vikings down 17-6, McCarthy answered the call.
It all started with a six -game journey, where McCarthy shot in front of the goal area to find his star receiver, Justin Jefferson, for his first partition of the new campaign. Then, the defense of the Vikings maintained the pressure on Williams to give McCarthy another chance in the head with a three and a forced outing on the possession that followed.
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McCarthy, after having obtained a generous call for defensive pass interference, launched a deep bullet perfectly placed to run Aaron Jones for the head, 20-17, after a successful conversion of two points.
The dagger of this victory over the victory was a disc of nine games which ended with a touch of 14 yards by no one other than McCarthy, who kept the ball on a third and 1 reading option of the 14 yards of Chicago. He made his way in the goal area and let out a roar with his Viking teammates huddled around him while the score went to 27-17 with 2:53 to play in the match.
Williams took such a hot start, flowing in a touch on the opening of the Bears of the match. But the offensive of the Bears, which should be improved with the game of Johnson in place given its success with the Strait Lions, sprayed after that. They gathered only a basket in the second quarter, while the Cairo Santos botter missed another in fourth.
Justin Jefferson of the Vikings of Minnesota short with the ball during the match against the Bears of Chicago at the Soldier Field on September 8, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
The other hit marked for the Bears was a pick-six launched by McCarthy in the third quarter who, at the time, seemed to be a total killer because of the poor quality he played.
But it was Williams who needed to rush late to return to the match, and he was finally able to find the goals area. The Bears drought ended with Rome Odunze wide open for the score of a yard to lower the three -minute deficit for Chicago with two minutes to play.
The defense of the Bears was able to force a three-past on the Vikings, but there was not enough game clock for a miracle while the Vikings celebrated their victory hard on the road.
McCarthy’s first career departure ended with a line of 13 for 143 yards with two affected and interception. It was also remarkable to see Jordan Mason obtaining the share of the touches in the racing game, totaling 15 for 68 yards, the veteran Aaron Jones Sr. obtaining eight races for 23 yards. Jones, however, was tied with Jefferson for 44 yards in the reception game.
Chicago Bears Caleb Williams’s quarterrier rushes in the first half of an NFL football match against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday September 8, 2025 in Chicago. (AP photo / Nam Y. Huh)
For the Bears, Williams finished 21 out of 35 for 211 yards with his passage pass and his precipitation score. He led the Bears with 58 yards on the ground in just six races, while End Swift had 53 yards on 17 keys in the rear field. DJ Moore also had 70 yards on only three receptions.
