Hoge's Notes: Bears Cramming In Short Week
By Adam Hoge-
HALAS HALL (CBS) The Bears had to fit three days of work into a nine-hour work day Tuesday as they prepare for Thursday night's game against the Giants at Soldier Field.
"Today's a Friday for us," Bears head coach Marc Trestman said.
During a normal work week, Wednesday and Thursday are the big installation days with Friday's practice focusing more on the red zone, special teams and special situations.
Tuesday, they had to cram it all into one day, doing so with meetings and two separate walk-throughs without pads and helmets.
"It's all going in today," Trestman said. "Base went in early today and then this afternoon, third-down, nickel, red zone -- it all has to go in and we all have to get it done."
Wednesday will act as a normal Saturday with walk-throughs, which is "all mental preparation," as Trestman put it.
Monday was technically an off day for the players, but Trestman said the players came in on their own to watch the tape of Sunday's loss to the Saints as the coaches were busy game-planning for the Giants.
From The Infirmary
Had the Bears gone through a full practice Tuesday, cornerback Charles Tillman (knee) would not have practiced.
"He'd be working with the trainers today," Trestman said.
Meanwhile, Martellus Bennett (knee), Jermon Bushrod (calf), Alshon Jeffery (ankle) and Stephen Paea (toe) would have been limited.
Paea missed Sunday's game against Saints and the Bears have not committed to him returning Thursday night.
"I have a good feeling I'm playing this week," Paea said. "There's no doubt about that."
Take that with a grain of salt, however, as Paea said last Friday he thought he would play against the Saints.
Safety Anthony Walters (hamstring) also would have missed practice.
Notables
- NFL owners passed a measure Tuesday that would force teams to participate in HBO's "Hard Knocks" if no other teams volunteer. Teams that have appeared on the show in the last 10 years, reached the playoffs within two years or have a new head coach would be exempt from participating involuntarily. Assuming Marc Trestman is still the head coach next season, the Bears would qualify as a team who could be forced to do the show.
General manager Phil Emery said as recently as last month that "Hard Knocks" is not something the Bears are interested in, but in a chat with fans on ChicagoBears.com Tuesday, he said: "We will support whatever initiative that the NFL owners agree to and is in the best interest of our fans and the NFL product."
- The NFL announced the Falcons, Raiders and Jaguars will have a "home game" played in London next season. The Bears are scheduled to play the NFC South in 2014 so it's possible their game against the Falcons could be played at Wembley Stadium.
Adam Hoge covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @AdamHoge.
