October 2007 Archives

MLB Brian Urlacher was wearing a floppy hat, not a helmet for Wednesday's practice at Halas Hall, the first of two workouts scheduled for the bye week.

So much for rolling into the bye week with some momentum. Instead, the Bears enter with a thud and have twice as much time to contemplate how they arrived here at 3-5.

One of the more worn-out cliches in the league is that you’re never as good as you think you are when the tape is reviewed, and you’re never as bad as you think you are. It’s true. So the Bears will dissect the 16-7 loss to the Detroit Lions today at Halas Hall and determine there were small factors here and there that collaborated to create a humiliating performance against a Lions team that had closely resembled the Washington Generals away from Ford Field since Matt Millen took over as general manager in 2001.

CB Nathan Vasher will miss his fifth straight game with a partially torn groin muscle.

He is listed as inactive along with QB Kyle Orton, RB Garrett Wolfe, S Brandon McGowan, FB Lousaka Polite, LB Darrell McClover, G Josh Beekman and WR Mike Hass.

DT Anthony Adams remains in the starting lineup with Darwin Walker playing in a backup role after missing the last two games with a sprained left knee.

DT Darwin Walker, who has missed the last two games with a sprained left knee, is doing some sprinting on the field with hopes of playing today.

CB Nathan Vasher participated in portions of Friday's practice for the first time since he torn his groin muscle against Dallas in Week 3.

CB Nathan Vasher was stretching with teammates during special teams drills and it appeared like he might be returning to practice for the first time since he partially tore his groin muscle vs. Dallas Sept. 23.

We'll get an update on his status following the game.

Rolling through a handful of questions before we head out to see who’s on the field and who’s not at the Friday practice. Send in your queries and we’ll do our best to get them answered next week during the bye.

Q: Kyle Orton played well two years ago, only to be benched. I think he’d make a more viable option than Brian Griese. What do you think from seeing the team every day?

Adam D., Parts Unknown

Adam: After watching Griese lead the Bears back in the fourth quarter at Philadelphia, I think it’s fair to say he’s the best option for the Bears right now. As far as Orton’s development, that is the great unknown. He didn’t get a lot of chances in the preseason, and how can you really judge the guy playing with third-teamers? He’s got little talent to work with and he’s going against guys with little talent. We don’t get to digest much of practice each day, in fact just a little bit more than stretching. I can tell you this: Orton has gotten more serious about his career in the last year and has handled everything like a pro. His contract runs through next season and he’s anxious for a chance somewhere, here or elsewhere. With Rex Grossman expected to depart following the season, Orton could go into 2008 as the No. 2 with an eye toward free agency.

RT Fred Miller returned to the practice field Thursday after missing Wednesday with an ankle injury.

DT Tommie Harris (left hamstring) was also back to work.

Sidelined were S Brandon McGowan (right elbow), who is no longer constrained by a sling. DE Alex Brown (undisclosed) was also out.

Brian Urlacher's press conferences have generated enough interest recently that we'll just put it all out there for you to digest for yourself.

A look at the full Q&A from today at Halas Hall:

CB Nathan Vasher, who has missed the last four games with a partially torn groin muscle, has his helmet out at practice today, the best sign we've seen from him in a month.

Vasher probably will not do much, and it looked like he was preparing to basically work on the side with trainers while the rest of the team stretched, but he should return soon. Whether or not he faces the Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field remains to be seen. Vasher could get an extra two weeks of rest with the bye following.

For the first time in what seems like a long time, Dick Stockton and Brian Baldinger will not handle the TV duties for Fox during the Bears' game.

For the third straight week, the Bears will have their game re-aired on NFL Network.

It is as expected at right cornerback as rookie seventh-round pick Trumaine McBride will make his second start of the season with Nathan Vasher missing his fourth game with a torn groin muscle.

But defensive tackle Darwin Walker will not face his former team. He is inactive for the second week with a sprained left knee, meaning Anthony Adams will start again. The Bears need all the help they can get going against Eagles running back Brian Westbrook.

Inactives below:

Defensive tackle Darwin Walker is expected to make his way back on to the field Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field after missing a game with a sprained left knee. Nothing spoke more loudly about Walker’s value than the 311 rushing yards the Minnesota Vikings rolled to in his absence.

Walker spent the last six seasons in an Eagles uniform before he was traded to Buffalo and then here when his contract situation became an obstacle for the Bills. In dealing Walker, Philadelphia picked up weak-side linebacker Takeo Spikes, who has been steady yet unspectacular. Still, the deal has worked out for the Eagles. Walker was going to lose his starting job to Brodrick Bunkley, and in dealing a backup who had the potential to be unhappy if he remained, they received a starter in a position that has been revamped.

LB Brian Urlacher is practicing on a Friday for the first time since Week 1, dispelling the notion his back is bothering him.

DT's Darwin Walker (left knee) and Tommie Harris (left hamstring) were also practicing.

Urlacher took exception to a line of questioning about his health on Thursday. He had been listed probable on the injury report in Weeks 2 through 6 with a back injury. Maybe it's cleared up.

The Bears are getting healthier. DT Tommie Harris (hamstring) returned to practice at Halas Hall, leaving CB Nathan Vasher as the only player to sit out.

The referee has thrown the flag and I’ve been whistled for a five-yard penalty—delay of game. More like delay of Q&A. So without putting this task off any further, we’ll jump into the questions and comments that were selected. Keep them coming.

It’s been since before the Green Bay game that we came with answers, so here we go:

Brian Urlacher has played every Sunday, so there is not anything wrong with him.

That’s the point the Bears’ middle linebacker drove home with the Philadelphia media during a conference call Wednesday afternoon.

DT Tommie Harris is sitting out practice with his sprained left knee and tweaked hamstring. CB Nathan Vasher was also sidelined with his groin pull and is not expected to play this week.

There was good news, though.