Previewing Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings with Paul Allen

Previewing Chicago Bears vs Minnesota Vikings with Paul Allen

You know, guys, one of my favorite parts of this crazy NFL world that we live and breathe in are the uh, you know, relationships, and I’d like to call them friendships we make along the way. That’s right. And one of our friends along with Pete Bersich, who was on the show last week, is Paul Allen, the voice of the Minnesota Vikings. They do such a great job. He also uh he also he was our friend. Oh, he’s not this week. Now he’s our enemy. That’s right. What’s going on, Paul? No, we’re friends. I mean this uh this would be friendly fire I guess and uh you know the uh the opportunity to call Vikings games is a privilege and um and it’s a blessing but uh not every venue to which we travel is like you know my favorite or or one that I really look forward to. Um I I really enjoy calling games at Soldier Field. Uh Chicago’s the bomb as the city would go itself at least for me. I’m from Washington DC. I mean, I’m I’m from big cities, you know, and and now I live in the corn fields, but um I love Soldier Field, man. I love you guys, and I can’t wait for this game. Yeah, it’s going to be fun. You know, I went on Paul’s show yesterday. The first question he asked me about was the turf at Soldier Field. And it’s a fair one over the years. He’s been there. He knows what it usually looks like. Well, Emma, our social team, was there today for the unveiling of the new food that’ll be at the stadium, and it it was all resided, right? That’s why he was worried about how did Emma put it on our Twitter account. It’s looking good. Now they got Now they got to paint. It doesn’t matter how it looks. It it matters like when you step on it and you get in the seams and everything. And uh you know what? It’s probably not going to be a problem. But um you know when when I read about those five concerts and then I read about the brick layer you know uh going to either all five of them or maybe one of them but five sounds more extravagant than one and um and t every Tuesday on my 9 to noon radio show on kan I have um Vikings coach Kevin Okonnell for about 30 minutes and you know whether it’s him or some others now this is Tuesday before a Monday game you know I bring this up and they have so many things on their mind about Ben Johnson and Roma Dunay and Grady Jarrett and stuff like that that I just didn’t feel anybody was taking this field situation very seriously. I mean, it’s all fun in games until it comes up a little murky and a little swampy, which it probably won’t, but but that’s how excited I am for this game that I’m already down the road on the field. Uh uh Paul, let me just uh confirm that actually you are correct and it’s going to be a problem. The Bears are not sure that everybody knows this, but they’re moving to Arlington Heights, and the city doesn’t care about the Bears anymore. That’s why they put five straight concerts in five straight days. So, I think you’re you’re dead ass right that this will be an issue. Uh, thank you for bringing it to everyone’s attention and I think you should get a raise. So, let’s just put all that in there. Uh, but to ask you ask you an actual question about the game, do JJ McCarthy in the betting world, they have him throwing for more yards than Caleb Williams by 10. Do you think that’s correct going into into week one? Wow. Um, it’s interesting you bring that up because the producer of my radio show today uh was going over some uh some props like a daily fantasy thing that we do once a week and it was I think 31 and a half attempts for McCarthy and I I just I think that’s high. I I think that I think that number is too high. Now obviously game shape and the way the thing works out could change everything. Uh but um you know it’s it’s that would be that would be a pass for me and here’s why. be because off the 68 sacks, third most in the history of the NFL, off the 6.3 yards per attempt, I mean that yards per attempt for Caleb last year was 33rd. There only are 32 teams. So that means some backup L had a better yards per attempt than Caleb uh with at least 100 throws. And and then you get to the career long, which is like 47. And all right, it’s only his first year, but 47, I mean, that’s light. So, does that mean Ben’s going to come into this thing, you know, looking to stretch it and and do the yards after catch stuff that’s going to get 50, 60, 70? Maybe. I think with Caleb and with McCarthy, it’s going to be a slow build. So, that’s too tough for me to call, but I just don’t see JJ throwing 31 and a half times. Yeah. I mean, and that’s the biggest question, right? I mean, here in Chicago, we’re trying to figure out how Ben Johnson’s going to call a game with Caleb Williams and his first start, first time being head coach. But then on your side of the ball, obviously Kevin Oonnell has laid a foundation of what the offense is going to be through a bunch of different quarterbacks over the last few years. Obviously, Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins having big years. So, that’s the question. That’s a million-dollar question. We’re wondering as Bears fans, is this offense going to look a little different with JJ McCarthy with maybe more of an encouragement to run the ball more than maybe they have the last few years? Okay. Well, well, consider this now. Okonnell comes in in 2022. Cousins has his best season as a pro. Then about the midway point of 2023, Cousins is in MVP conversation, pops his Achilles at Lambo. We then go through Josh Dobs, Jiren Hall, and Nick Mullins. Then last year, the Darnold resurgence until the the unacceptable game at Ford Field and then the playoff loss. So with that said, during all of that, Okonnell is the Vikings under Okonnell are number one in the NFL over the last three years when it comes to passes 10 yards or more in attempts, completions, and yardage. So that’s through even Dos Hall and Mullins. So that that’s the baseline edict for how things are operated with the offense. No, no matter if you’re a first-time starter like McCarthy, um, or if you’re Mullins who’s been around the block a little bit, he he’d give you 400 and change and sadly throw a bad pick at the end of the game. Uh, so it, um, you know, it’s not a lot’s going to change from an offensive approach standpoint. It’s not like there’s going to be a governor, uh, a proverbial governor that that’s on JJ McCarthy. Uh, it’s all going to come down to matchups. I mean, if Jaylen Johnson’s out there running around, how well is he running? Um, Tyreek Stevenson has a little boomer bust to him. I happen to like him, but I think he has some boomer bust. Uh, and with the safeties, you know, if you go play action and McCarthy’s play action’s really good, can you put Brisker in a bad spot and make him run? If Okonnell sees stuff like that early, man, he’s cold-blooded. I mean, he’s really, really ruthless with stuff like that. So it’s hard to project now for week one is so hard in that it fundamentals Trump scheme because there are so many unscouted looks that take place in week number one. I’m not going to say that favors Ben Johnson. Uh but he did run up 30 and a half on Flores over four games when he was with the Lions. There going to be a lot of those plays. I wouldn’t be surprised in a nationally televised game if he dusted off some of his sweet tricks that they’ve been working on for like the last month or two months. Um, so the unscouted look part, see that that’s what can mess up an over or under in week one. Yeah. And you know, Paul, we all have our uh concerns about our teams going into week one, right? You know, here in Chicago, the left tackle, it’s been a conversation. It’s I’m sure it’s keeping some people awake. Jonathan Gernard going up against Braxton Jones. Um, mainly the brick layer over here. Can’t sleep over that one. If I ask you though from the Vikings perspective, like what what are like the one or two biggest concerns that you guys have right now going into the season that maybe have not been quite figured out yet or you don’t just don’t know what the answers are yet? Adam, Adam, do you mean in this game or for like the totality of the season? You know what? Honestly, totality of the season. Yeah. Um, well, see, I don’t I don’t really like to come at it from a concern standpoint. I mean, they have a way of unveiling themselves. They less frequently than people would think are the concerns that people look at within the building or within the meetings and within the Covenant. Um, and you know, we’re talking about a 14- win team here that that added Jayvon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Like the Bears, upgraded the middle of the offensive line with Donovan Jackson, firstrounder, Ohio State, left guard, Ryan Kelly, and Will Fry. Couple of former Colts, center, and um, and right guard. All right. So, what’s the tell there? Well, the the the tell with those three on the offensive line is that they feel that they can mash forward in the running game. plus Jordan Mason’s now in the mix. I think it’s going to help Aaron Jones, too. So, you know, when when you think concerns, you know, I guess the lowhanging fruit here would be looking at the Vikings cornerbacks. Uh Byron Murphy Jr. would be a two or a one, two or a three on any team in the NFL. Byron’s really, really good and he’s gotten good over the last year and a half, two years. But, you know, then you get Jeff Okuda. All right. Now, Jeff had his problems with Houston last year, but what are they going to ask Jeff to do? Is he going to be the short side of the field? You got the hash marks here, and then the short side stays over here. Balls on the left hash. So, he’ll probably be checking that receiver on that side. Less room to run, more ability to beat somebody up at the line. And Jeff’s really, really good at that. when it comes to straight line running down the field with like Odun, you know, I don’t know if many can do that, but maybe that’s not Jeff’s fort, so to speak, as of now. And then you get to Isaiah Rogers, a new corner here from Philadelphia, and they, you know, Isaiah is incredibly fast. Uh, but um, but here’s a little tell like, you know, in into the offseason, OTAA’s mini camp and stuff like that. when they were thinking about kick returner. Well, Isaiah Rogers has a kick return touchdown and has returned like 60 some odd kicks in his career. All right. Well, they gave up on that in training camp, not because he’s bad at it, but because they know they don’t want to get him nicked up returning kicks because of a depth situation there. So, I guess I could look at that, but I you see, I think that would diminish or or kind of disrespect the pass rush where Granard and Van Ginkle, man, they they went for like 24 sacks combined last year and 36 tackles for loss. Um, and it should be the same this year, if not better. Then you put Harg Grave and Allen in the middle and the rush from up the middle is supposed to be better. All of that should protect the corners. So, I don’t really know if I can look at that like as a weakness or a concern, you know? Yeah, it makes sense. So, it it sounds to me, listening to you, Paul, and I mean, you’re listen, you’re you’re the voice of the Vikings. You have to be optimistic about the team you’re calling and just believe it. Well, you Okay, that’s No, I don’t I mean, let’s just let’s just be straight with your vast and ever expanding audience. Um, I don’t get paid to call games by the Vikings. I get paid by Kay Fan and iHeart Radio. I get this 1099 from the Vikings to interview Okonnell, do TV preseason games, some appearances, and read ads for him. So, I’m I’m too far down the road, brother, uh to be beholden to the Shield. Uh now, I’m not going to be one being like, “This guy sucks and he should be fired, but I wasn’t that guy before I started calling Vikings games.” So, I see what you’re saying there. Um but that’s just my approach to life. I I come at it with faith before fear 10 out of 10 times. For the record, he’s not just saying that. If you listen to their broadcast, that is why I love listening to the broadcast. They’re going to react the highs and lows throughout the game and it’s very entertaining. I I think we should all pause for a second here or two and just realize that that Paul is is is one of the few that has established himself that has left that can actually do this. So, congratulations to you. That’s that’s amazing. I I was trying to it wasn’t really I think I I just phrased it wrong where I was trying to go though is I’m trying to understand a 14- win team. The gambling markets have it at 8 and a half for the Vikings. So I’m wondering is it just JJ McCarthy but yet they’re favorites that you know the Bears are home dogs this week. Well, right because because everybody thinks that the be so the Bears are going to be four, the Vikings are going to be three and the Packers and the Lions are going to battle for the top. Do you do you think that it’s just too simple to look at the North that way? And I’m also wondering like from your perspective, why do you think that is it just JJ McCarthy that that everyone thinks that the Vikings are a seven eight nine win team? Well, the the division also gets the AFC North this year. So, in you know, like that 6 and a half that they put out last year, that was freaking ridiculous. And fortunately, sharps like you picked up on it and moved it to 7 and 1/2. like literally within an hour of when that season total went out on the market. Seven and a half I thought was too light too. It I mean this this unless you have just unbelievably devastating injuries as a common thread the entire season. I can’t see this team winning fewer than 10 games. Um and and I know they won 14 last year. Uh but the division is better. Uh and and you know early in the season um I really do believe in the the um the lowhanging fruit about the Lions coaching staff where that I mean we’re talking about not just coordinators but like assistance to the coordinators. I mean it was absolutely pilered. So if they’re going to come out and just snap and push a button and there goes Jir Gibbs for 220 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns at Lambo. Okay. Uh what’s going to happen the next week? So, I think that’s going to be a little slow to go with uh with Green Bay. I I can’t you know what? I’m I’m from Washington DC. I’ve lived all over the world. I’m not shoe size contest motan when it comes to Vikings and Packers and like the border battle and stuff like that. Um I can’t wrap my mind around the quarterback in big games. I I’ve just I’ve seen Jordan Love, whether it’s Dre Green Law in a playoff game against San Francisco, uh the performance at Philadelphia last year in the playoffs, then Packer fans will hit me with like, “Yeah, but they they won nicely at Dallas a couple of years ago.” Yeah, Aaron Jones had three touchdowns and and the whole thing was on him. So, I like the quarterback. I don’t love him. Um, you know, I think they’re tied to a pretty risky contract there if this thing doesn’t work out, but they’re going to be good and they’re young and I love Edger and Cooper and and I and I got a lot of respect for Ben Johnson, man. And and Dennis Allen, I mean, I’ve seen enough of Dennis Allen with the New Orleans Saints to know what he can do, you know, like like Kevin O’Connell is so good at what he does. A couple of years ago, we got Josh Dobs at quarterback and you know all of us so Josh is running the team to victories but guys are being left wide open and you know we get to a game against the Saints and Dobs is rolling. Uh but then in the second half Dennis Allen did something that changed the whole game and then the next week Denver did the same thing and then that was it for Doss. We went to Las Vegas. He threw Jefferson a hospital ball that legitimately sent Justin to the hospital. They won the game three-0 and Josh never was heard from again. That all started with that second half at US Bank Stadium guided by Dennis Allen. And and I know Kevin Oonnell and coaches like Mike Pton just have the ultimate respect in Dennis Allen. And I believe in Ben because I’ve just seen it so much, man, with how he catches teams off guard as good as I’ve ever seen anybody. So, the Bears are going to be better for sure. Uh, but that eight and a half, I mean, I, you know, it’s it’s a good number. Last year was a bad number. Whatever it ended up at, it’s a good number this year, man, because, you know, hooking the AFC North and then the Vikings get Philadelphia right right out of their buy. Um, yeah, it’s it’s a tough number, ma’am. So, so you wouldn’t be surprised then if all four teams in the division are within, say, three wins of each other. Is that is that fair? Well, I Okay, you know, I need to see the Bears rush the quarterback without blitzing. So, you know, I I I know what Montes went with the five and a half last year. That’s no good. Um and and now when Montes was traded from Washington middle of the season two years ago, I mean, I had just the utmost respect for him with how he played after that trade for a team that wasn’t going anywhere. So, that’s who he is for whatever. He probably was doubled and chipped and all that kind of stuff a million times last year. Um, but I need to see the Bears rush without blitzing. Um, and you know, I’ve always liked Jaylen Johnson and but but he’s really been a pro football focused analytics kind of super high-end guy and I I think he’s very very good. But I mean, healthy or not, if you think you’re going to run all over the field with Justin Jefferson and make it work, that that that’s shortsighted. Um, so, uh, within three games, maybe, but yeah, I think the Bears can win seven or eight games. I got the Vikings on like 10. I got the Vikings, Lions, and Packers all around 10ish, something like that. All right. Uh before we let you go, I know you just said I like to live in life uh faith first before fear, but I’m trying to pull this fear out of you for Monday night. So, what is what are you most fearful like that the Bears can win the game with with with what you look at with what Chicago has? Uh the it’s week one, okay? And this is a new coach who is incredibly well respected around the NFL. Whether it’s Jir Gibbs or it’s Roshan Johnson or DeAndre Swift or David Montgomery, Leaporta, Lovelin, KT, whatever, he’s good. I mean, he’s good. Now, you know, once you start getting film on teams, that’s when that’s when the the scheme and the system meshing with the assembled talent. Well, that’s when it’s going to be the we know that you know that we know that you know, and you got to get around it. But the the I’ve heard so much this week at the Vikings facility, Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, the unscouted looks. Unscouted looks. things on which you cannot work during training camp because it’s somebody new in a new place with new talent. Uh Jared Goff ran uh ran that thing perfectly. You know, it’s when it comes to Caleb is how much of his free will is going to supersede what an accomplished play caller puts into the game. You know, that’s that’s a I’m gonna be looking for that on Monday night. Now, I’m not going to know exactly what the plays are, but you know, Caleb has his will, too, and he’s been pretty good outside of the pocket. So, it’s um if they can get Ben with Caleb to mesh the way they wanted to, and he follows the plan, uh I think Odun is sitting on a massive season. And I mean catching, I mean running, I mean yards after catch. I just I just know what I saw in Rome last year. Only two 100yard games, but just kind of got lost in the shuffle, you know. So, I think he’s the number one option in that offense. I think he’s the one that’s going to require more doubles than people think now. Um and um so I’d be wary of that. But the unpredictability of week number one, I think, you know, I think all of us would agree from 1 to 53, the Vikings have a better roster and the the at at this stage of the equation. Now, McCarthy hasn’t played a meaningful game since January 8th of 2024. Well, that counts, too. Um, but you draft him where you draft him because you think he can handle pressure. In fact, you know, he can handle pressure and you got a very smart coaching staff. Well, the Bears have a very smart coaching staff, too, and you’re on the road and place is tough to win. Uh, this is going to be a spine tingler. Um, I don’t see I don’t see a blowout either way. Um, I do believe the Vikings will win a tightly contested game, but the I’m telling you, Ben’s gonna have some tricks up his sleeve in the first quarter and half of that game that I if if you’re not ready for them, the gotcha plays will get you early in the game and then that’s when you can become discouraged and just hopefully for Vikings fans that doesn’t happen. Paul, we appreciate it so much. He’s PA on the mic on Twitter. uh you know he has a brilliant radio show that’s nine and noon and you call your show 900 and noon they can never change the time on you which is great and he’s got that love the move not that they ever would and I highly recommend if you go to the iHeart media app and you tune if you ever want to sample the you know sports radio from a different city I do it all the time that’s how you get the show PA love it thank you so much right on man you guys are fantastic and the brick layer is all over Devin Duivere right now isn’t he I watched that podcast the other day Man, I got into my my game calling dev chart on Duivere with those two kick return touchdowns, including a 103. Thanks for the help, my brother. Got you. Got you, my friend.

Minnesota Vikings play-by-play voice Paul Allen joins the CHGO Bears Podcast to preview the Chicago Bears Week 1 matchup against the Vikings on Monday Night Football. What are realistic expectations for QB J.J. McCarthy in his first season as the starter? Will Caleb Willims make the leap in Year 2? And what things worry the Vikings about the Bears in Week 1?

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