CHICAGO (AP) — J.J. McCarthy’s long-awaited debut for the Minnesota Vikings was looking more like a nightmare.

Even so, coach Kevin O'Connell could sense things were going to change. And he told his quarterback at halftime.

“You are going to bring us back to win this game,” O’Connell said he told McCarthy.

McCarthy did just that in the fourth quarter, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another, and the Minnesota Vikings rallied for a season-opening 27-24 win over the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

Chicago’s Caleb Williams had his first career rushing touchdown and threw for a score in Ben Johnson's debut as the Bears' coach.

McCarthy delivered down the stretch after struggling through the first three quarters in his first meaningful game since Michigan beat Washington for the

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