Nov. 25--Lock it in. Bears running back Matt Forte will be back in action Thursday night in Green Bay, returning after a three-game absence caused by a medial collateral ligament sprain in his right knee. Alshon Jeffery? He's also hopeful to face the Packers, but it's still not certain if he will be available Thanksgiving night as he continues working through groin and shoulder injuries.
"We're going to see on Thursday," Jeffery said.
Offensive coordinator Adam Gase is certainly eager to have a full complement of weapons available again. The Bears offense has had its top three playmakers -- Forte, Jeffery and quarterback Jay Cutler -- together for only three games this season, left to adapt and reinvent itself on a weekly basis.
Forte's return, Gase said, will be an obvious bonus to a running attack that averaged just 3.4 yards per attempt in Sunday's loss to the Broncos.
Jeffery, meanwhile, asserted Tuesday that he felt much better than he did at the same point a week earlier. And he acknowledged the appeal of Thursday's rivalry game in prime time against the division-leading Packers.
"I definitely do want to be out there," Jeffery said. "(But) if the training staff sees how I feel and I don't feel too well, I won't be. If I'm feeling well, I'll play."
Jeffery has missed five of the Bears' 10 games with hamstring, groin and shoulder issues. Forte, meanwhile, hasn't played since a Nov. 1 loss to the Vikings at Soldier Field and has found himself getting increasingly antsy. He felt strong and agile with his sprinting and cutting during a pre-game workout Sunday at Soldier Field and has been anticipating Thursday's return.
"It's not really a lot of fun watching games and doing all that and not being able to help your team win," Forte said. "I'm not really used to doing that."
Delivery news: As the Bears continue cramming for Thursday's game, Cutler indicated he's managing his time OK even after his wife, Kristin Cavallari, gave birth to their third child -- daughter Saylor James -- on Monday.
"Luckily, Kristin has done about 99 percent of it," Cutler said. "My 1 percent (of helping) I don't think is really going to drag me down that much."
Cutler appreciated his daughter's good timing, as she was born in a three-day window between Sunday's loss to the Broncos and Thursday's game in Green Bay.
"It could have been worse," the quarterback said with a smile. "She cooperated a little bit for us."
Peppers reunion: Even at 35, Packers outside linebacker Julius Peppers remains a pass-rushing force. His 61/2 sacks rank third in the NFC and he has the Bears' full attention, particularly given how much their former teammate moves around in the Packers' 3-4 system.
Bears coach John Fox drafted Peppers second overall in 2002 and coached him for eight seasons with the Panthers.
"He's a tremendous teammate, a tremendous athlete," Fox said Tuesday.
Peppers reciprocated the love, saying Fox had a "major impact" on his development, particularly in the way he prepared and carried himself. Peppers also notices Fox's influence on the Bears from afar.
"I see it," he said. "Any time you're a player for him, you're going to play hard because that's what he demands. That's what he expects. And he's just able to bring that out of guys."
Extra points: Antrel Rolle (knee, ankle), Eddie Royal (knee) and Ka'Deem Carey (concussion) all missed Tuesday's practice. Jeffery, Forte, Martellus Bennett (ribs), Pernell McPhee (knee), LaRoy Reynolds (knee) and Sherrod Martin (neck) were limited. ... A day after waiving Jimmy Clausen and elevating David Fales off the practice squad, the Bears signed quarterback Justin Worley to the practice squad. The undrafted rookie made 17 starts at Tennessee. They also signed linebacker Danny Mason to their practice squad.
dwiederer@tribpub.com
