Bears $53 Million Investment Had One of Worst Week 1 Performances in the NFL

Monday night in Chicago was supposed to be the beginning of a new era for the Bears, particularly on offense, with their revamped offensive line taking center stage. Instead, their 27–24 loss to the Vikings felt all too familiar.

Jonah Jackson, brought in as a key part of that rebuilt interior, struggled badly in his debut. Penalties, blown protections and missed assignments made his first impression a rough one, and for quarterback Caleb Williams, it meant spending much of his 2025 debut running for his life.

The Bears were in control for most of the night, building a 17–6 lead before Minnesota stormed back in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t just one breakdown that flipped the game; it was a pile of self-inflicted mistakes.

Twelve penalties for 127 yards made sustaining drives nearly impossible, and too often it was the offensive line putting Chicago behind schedule. Jackson was flagged early and often, setting the tone for an offense that never looked settled.

Jonah Jackson’s Bears Debut vs. Minnesota Vikings Week 1 Was About as Bad as it Gets

For Jackson, the night unraveled almost immediately. Two false starts in the first half derailed promising drives and left Chicago’s offense playing uphill.

“We said going into Week 1 that the team that would make the least number of mistakes would win the game,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said after the loss. “Unfortunately, we were on the wrong side of that. We made too many there late in the game, myself included. There were a number of things that I could have done better, a number of things that a number of guys could have done better. When you look down at the stat sheet and you see 12 penalties, that’s got to get cleaned up in a hurry.”

Per PFF, Jackson played a total of 46 pass block snaps and 20 run block snaps. He allowed five hurries and was flagged twice, netting a 31.0 overall grade and an absolutely wretched 22.6 pass block grade, the latter of which was the second-worst amongst all guards who played more than two pass-block snaps.

Considering the fact the Bears just extended him, it was a disappointing debut to say the least.

Why Jonah Jackson Matters to Caleb Williams and the Bears’ Future

GettyChicago Bears right guard Jonah Jackson struggled mightily in his 2025 debut against the Minnesota Vikings.

Chicago invested heavily in its offensive line this offseason to help give Williams stability in his second year and avoid a repeat of last season’s protection issues, when the team allowed a league-high 68 sacks. Paired with Joe Thuney and Drew Dalman, the goal is for Jackson to help anchor the middle.

After trading for Jackson this offseason, the Bears did something rather odd considering he hadn’t yet played a snap for them: they inked him to a $53 million extension with just under $30 million guaranteed.

The Bears don’t need perfection from their guards, but they can’t survive with constant first-and-15 situations, or with their quarterback forced to freelance on every series.

The Bears drafted Williams to be the face of the franchise, but even the most dynamic quarterbacks need protection to succeed. Jackson doesn’t have to be a star—he just has to do his job without making a ton of errors. If he can settle in, this group still has the potential to grow into what the front office envisioned. If not, the Bears and their fans could be in for more games like they had against the Vikings.

Bo Nix Called ‘NFL’s Worst Quarterback’ Following Week 1 Broncos Win

The Denver Broncos second year quarterback began 2025 with a performance to forget in a 20-12 home win over the lowly Tennessee Titans, turning the ball over 3 times and looking generally lost running his own offense.

Nix finished 25-of-40 passing for 176 yards, 2 interceptions and 1 lost fumble — bad enough that he was one of just a handful of quarterbacks to be given an “F’ grade from Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski in Week 1.

“Bo Nix turned into a pleasant surprise after being the sixth first-round quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL draft,” Sobleski wrote on September 9. “He was an ideal fit for Sean Payton’s offense and a mature prospect, which led to an easier transition compared to most. At the start of Year 2, though, Nix didn’t look nearly as comfortable and had to rely heavily on his defense to get the job done against a Tennessee Titans team not expected to do much this season. Three turnovers, while averaging 4.4 yards per attempt, won’t be enough against much better opponents.”

Luckily for the Broncos and Nix, “much better opponents” are still a few weeks away — the Broncos travel to face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2.

Nix was one of just 3 quarterbacks out of 32 to receive an “F” grade in Week 1 alongside Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and New York Giants quarterback and former Bronco Russell Wilson — Nix was also the only one of the 3 to walk away with a win.

Reminiscent of Nix’s Week 4 Rookie Performance

While not sinking to the same depths, Nix’s Week 1 performance in 2025 harkened back to his Week 4 performance as a rookie in 2024 in a 10-9 win over the New York Jets.

That game, Nix went 12-of-25 passing for 60 yards, 1 touchdown and no interceptions as the Broncos went 3-of-14 on third downs. It was Nix’s first career touchdown pass.

“… Courtland Sutton caught three passes for 60 yards,” Sports Illustrated’s Ryan Phillips wrote after the game. “That means that Nix’s nine completions to six other receivers combined to total zero yards. Remarkable. Nix started the game 7-of-15 for -7 yards. So he averaged -1 yards on his first seven completions. Nix did run the ball five times but only gained three yards. That’s 0.6 yards per carry. Overall, he had 63 total yards on 28 touches, which is 2.3 yards per play. Yikes.”

Broncos Snapped 9-Year Playoff Drought in 2024

The Broncos and Nix ended their 9-year playoff drought in 2024 and bring back arguably the NFL’s best defense in 2025 as they try to make the postseason in consecutive years.

Nix started all 17 games as a rookie and finished third in NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.

Nix was the last of a record-tying 6 quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft at No. 12 overall — Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams went No. 1 overall, Daniels at No. 2, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye at No. 3, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 and Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 overall.

All 6 quarterbacks started Week 1 of the 2025 season as their team’s starter. Only McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus, failed to start a game in 2024.

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