New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said his team is planning on Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher to play on Sunday.

"You have to prepare as if he's going to play," Brees said. "If they don't, then you change gears."

Brees offered his condolences to Urlacher and his family, and he noted the passing of his mother in August 2009, during training camp.

"It was a sudden thing. Very unexpected," Brees said of the death of his mother, Mina. "So I left training camp immediately, to be with my brother and my family. On two different occasions, I had to leave for a period of time, to be with family and to go to her memorial service and help plan that."

Brees, though, added that he wanted to return to his teammates and his job.

"I can tell you this. For me, as hard as that was and as much as I needed to be with my family at that time, the guys in the locker room - your teammates - are also a part of your family too," he said. "So a big part of my healing was coming back and being with the guys in the locker room and obviously getting back to playing football, because I know that's what she loved watching me do."