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.
Steelers Kicker Chris Boswell Receives Huge Honor for Week 1 Heroics
Following a great Week 1, Steelers kicker Chris Boswell is receiving a big-time honor.
In a narrow two-point victory, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed everyone to step up in Week 1. Taking down the New York Jets by a final score of 34-32 was no easy feat, after all, and one particular player served as the hero.
Kicker Chris Boswell was the man, and now he adds some hardware because of it. Per the league (and the Steelers on X), he’s the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 1.
Pittsburgh Star Chris Boswell Named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week
It’s a fitting award for Boswell, who was picture perfect for the Steelers on Sunday.
Thanks to quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Boswell had four opportunities to drain extra points. He converted on all of them, also going 2-for-2 on field goals. Both came from distance, with the first being a 56-yarder and his 60-yarder being a career-long. The latter boot served as the longest for any kicker in Week 1, and hands-down the most important.
Following the triumphant win, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised Boswell for a job well done.
“I can’t say enough about Boz. Our kicker is a serial killer,” Tomlin said. “Man, he’s got a low pulse rate. He can’t wait to deliver.”
This is the fifth time Boswell has been named Special Teams Player of the Week. It’s the most such acknowledgements for a Steeler, passing Jeff Reed. Boswell’s awards in 2015 (Week 6), 2017 (Week 13) and last season (Weeks 1 and 11) now have some company. Among all Pittsburgh players dating back to his debut in 2015, Boswell trails only quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (seven) and pass rusher T.J. Watt (eight) for most Player of the Week wins.
Starting all 17 games for the Steelers last season, Boswell thrived. He made all 35 of his extra point attempts, also going 41-for-44 on field goals. Those 41 makes led the sport, contributing to a sparkling 93.2% accuracy rate. All of those marks netted Boswell his second career Pro Bowl berth, in addition to his only first-team All-Pro nod.
Boswell ‘Not Worried’ About New Contract From Steelers: Report
Of course, with excellent performance should come excellent pay. That’s no foreign concept to Boswell, who is soon due for a raise from the Steelers. According to Over The Cap, his average annual salary of $5 million currently ranks 10th among active kickers. Even at the age of 34, he remains an elite player.
There’s a case to be made that Boswell is the best in the business. Will he be compensated as such? That remains to be seen, as he’s under contract through the end of next season. Experiencing another signature moment like Week 1’s thriller of a kick certainly doesn’t hurt.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk documented Boswell’s latest thoughts on an extension. The two spoke on the phone following Sunday’s win. Even without a new deal in place, Boswell is worried about controlling what he can control.
“I kind of just look at it you know, my kicking will take care of all that,” Boswell said. “I’m not worried on it. I’m not focused on it. You know, that’s why we all have agents and stuff like that. It didn’t get done and, you know, they have a business to run, too. I mean, just like I gotta look out for myself. I didn’t come to — nothing came about it so just move on, and figure out another time.”
If Boswell’s string of performances keeps being positive, achieving a league-high salary or something close to it won’t be a problem.
