CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears couldn’t have started the game any better against the Minnesota Vikings.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense forced a three-and-out on the Vikings’ first offensive possession, which ended with Gervon Dexter Sr. sacking J.J. McCarthy. Head coach Ben Johnson’s offense responded with a 10-play, 61-yard drive that ended with Caleb Williams scoring on a 9-yard touchdown run.

Complementary football. Drawn up to perfection.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Bears built a 17-6 lead. The Vikings, though, went on to score 21 unanswered points after Cairo Santos missed his 50-yard field goal. The Bears lost 27-24 to start the 2025 NFL season.

Several factors contributed to the outcome, but penalties were a significant factor. The Bears were penalized 12 times for 127 yards. The offense accounted for six penalties, totalling 40 yards: four false starts, a hold and an intentional grounding. The Vikings also declined a holding penalty by running back Kyle Monangai on second down to make it a third-and-10, which the Bears couldn’t convert.

To better understand how this outcome transpired, here is what Darnell Wright, Rome Odunze and D’Andre Swift had to say about what went right on the opening drive of the game and what caused the offensive penalties.

Opening Drive

On the 10-play drive, 61-yard touchdown drive, Williams completed his first six passes (and went on to complete his first 10 in the game). Swift ran the ball three times for one yard, and Williams scored on the 9-yard run.

Despite Swift not being effective in running the ball, he did catch two passes for 11 yards, and Monangai caught a pass for another 11 yards.

“Just operating,” Swift told Marquee Sports Network. “Can’t really remember the whole first drive. I think it was a little bit cleaner. That’s really what it was.”

Wright thought similarly about the first offensive possession.

“We were all on the same page, pretty much,” Wright told Marquee Sports Network. “I mean, that’s the best way I can put it — all on the same page. Stringing plays together.”

Odunze caught a 17-yard pass on third-and-5 after Williams avoided pressure and rolled out to his right. Williams and Odunze were in sync on that scramble drill, and the second-year wide receiver said after the game that Williams put the ball “right on the money, was able to make a play on the sideline.”

As for what went right on the first drive, it was doing the little things.

“I think we just executed properly, obviously,” Odunze said. “You know just being on our Ps and Qs down the field, dinking and dunking as we needed to, so we were able to sustain the drive. Get in the zone and make a big play at the end.”

Undisciplined Penalties

Outside of the first offensive drive, penalties were an issue for Johnson’s team.

Wright committed a false start and a holding penalty. He elaborated on those two mistakes after the game.

“Firstly, speaking for myself obviously, I got two penalties,” Wright said. “One, I mean, it’s whatever. You’re playing ball. I feel like it’s not a penalty. Whatever, ref sees if that way. Another that is just completely, you know, lack of focus right there. I mean, the whole team struggled. The offense struggled with the penalties and false starts, and we can clean that up easily. It’s just that is what shot us in the foot.”

Wright owned up to the false start penalty, but he did have an issue with the holding call.

“I mean it’s a simple, tug the jersey down, it’s a hold,” Wright said. “If you knock the arms down, it’s not. Obviously, I mean, I knocked his arms down, but (the ref) saw it the other way. It’s what it is; you’re playing ball. Ref sees it one way. It’s whatever.”

That penalty occurred towards the end of the third quarter and moved the ball back to yards to the Minnesota 34-yard line. Williams threw an incomplete pass after the hold. Then the second-year quarterback committed an intentional grounding penalty, moving the Bears back another 10 yards. On third-and-30, Williams completed a 12-yard pass to Olamide Zaccheaus to give Cairo Santos a chance at a 50-yard field goal, but the kicker missed wide right.

Wright tried to identify if there was a common thread with the penalties that occurred throughout the night.

“I’m not sure,” Wright said. “It’s a little bit of communication. It’s a little bit of low time, low play clock stuff. It’s just kind of rushed or what not, so that’s just something that we just, offensive line needs to get lined up faster. We all need to get on the same page quicker.”

When Odunze was asked if there was a common theme with the penalties, he pointed to it being an “execution error.” Those errors stalled drives and interrupted the rhythm of the offense. The Bears had more penalty yards (127) than they did rushing (119).

What’s alarming is that the penalties aren’t a new problem. Since the Bears started running Johnson’s offense this summer, there have been countless pre-snap mistakes. It was evident in training camp, preseason and now Week 1.

And if the Bears want to see improvements offensively, those mistakes must be cleaned up before heading to Detroit to face the Lions next Sunday.

“You can’t play ball like that,” Swift said. “Got to finish better. Got to be clean if we want to be where we need to be. We just got to play clean. I don’t know how many penalties or setbacks or negative plays. We got to put people away, especially when the defense is playing like that. We got to be better offensively.”