Thanks to the bye week, players were packing their bags after Thursday's practice while preparing for a weekend away from Halas Hall. Briggs, however, said he would be back at team headquarters at 8 a.m. today to get treatment for a high ankle sprain that sidelined him against the Seahawks and for most of Sunday's game against the Redskins.

"He's feeling pretty confident," Bears coach Lovie Smith said when asked about his Briggs' availability for next Sunday's game against the Bills in Toronto. "We are, too. We think we'll have all of our team ready to practice Monday or at least play on the weekend."

Defensive end Israel Idonije has little doubt that Briggs will be ready.

"Even last week, he wanted to be out there and he wanted to fight and get in the game with us," he said. "We know that's something that he really wants to do, so he's going to make sure that come the game in Toronto, he'll be ready."