The NFL season is here. The Chicago Bears open the season against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night at Soldier Field.

Ben Johnson will coach his first game with the Bears, while 2024 No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams will enter his second season. The Bears take on a Vikings team coming off a 14-3 season but making a huge transition at quarterback. With Sam Darnold gone, Chicago-area native J.J. McCarthy — last year’s No. 10 pick — will make his first NFL start after missing all of last season with a knee injury.

Here’s a look at what to watch in this Week 1 matchup.

Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy

McCarthy emerged as a star quarterback at Nazareth as a sophomore in 2018, leading the Roadrunners to the IHSA Class 7A state championship. He became one of the top-rated recruits in the

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