Monday Night Football shines on the NFC North as the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears collide in a matchup featuring two young quarterbacks with sky-high expectations.
With the spotlight on two franchises hoping to rise in the division, our top NFL PrizePicks and Underdog plays highlight Caleb Williams, J.J. McCarthy and Adam Thielen in what should be a thrilling Monday night battle.
NFL PrizePicks, Underdog Plays — Vikings vs Bears
Caleb Williams
More Than 1.5 Passing Touchdowns
It's safe to say there is optimism around the Bears offense. Former Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is now running the show after turning Detroit into one of the highest scoring offenses in the NFL.
If the Bears are going to take a step forward offensively, it all starts with Caleb Williams. The former No. 1 overall pick showed plenty of flashes last season.
With better coaching and plenty of talent around him, I expect to see the ball in his hands quite a bit in the red zone. Last season, Jared Goff averaged 7.1 red-zone passing attempts per game under Johnson.
Just like in Detroit, Williams has a bevy of receiving options to target as the field shortens. Look for Johnson to put his young quarterback in a position to succeed and convert in the red zone multiple times tonight.
J.J McCarthy
Less Than 0.5 Interceptions
We go from one sophomore quarterback to another in the Vikings' J.J. McCarthy. This will be our first real look at McCarthy after he missed his entire rookie season due to an injury.
However, before that, the hype was palpable around McCarthy, who had just won a National Championship at Michigan. During that run, McCarthy showed poise beyond his years, making plays and managing the game while minimizing mistakes.
I expect that trend to continue tonight in his NFL debut as the Vikings don't need him to do too much.
Look for McCarthy to connect on short and intermediate routes with the likes of Jefferson, Thielen, and Hockenson.
Adam Thielen
Less Than 34.5 Receiving Yards
In correlation with my thoughts about McCarthy, newly acquired veteran Adam Thielen could prove to be a safety valve for the young quarterback.
Thielen played this role to perfection last season when paired with Bryce Young, but he should do so with much lower volume in Minnesota.
Thielen is only projected to have two or three catches tonight, and it's highly unlikely that any of his targets will have much depth to them.
