Briggs earns NFC honor

Bears linebacker Lance Briggs was held out of practice Wednesday because of a sore foot, but the injury is unlikely to limit him Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

Briggs declined to talk to reporters after practice, but he is scheduled to speak Thursday as part of his weekly news conference. He walked without a limp and wore a blue practice jersey, although he did not participate in any drills.

Earlier in the day, Briggs received some good news. After a standout performance at Seattle, he was named the NFC's defensive player of the week.

Briggs finished Sunday's game with eight tackles, one sack, an interception and a quarterback pressure to help the Bears beat the Seahawks, 25-19. Briggs' interception was the 10th of his career, which tied him with Otis Wilson and Stu Clarkson for seventh among Bears linebackers.

Briggs leads the Bears with 23 tackles, including 18 solo stops. This marks his first award as the conference's defensive player of the week.

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The Bears might avoid the Detroit Lions' top rusher this weekend at Soldier Field.

Lions coaches said they would make a game-time decision on whether to play running back Kevin Smith, who left because of a shoulder injury Sunday against the Redskins. The Lions won that game, 19-14, to snap a 19-game losing streak.

"We will just see how that plays out this week and see what we can get out him and make a game-time decision on whether he can go or not," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "But Kevin is really important. We have a dynamic playmaker in Calvin Johnson, who can get open downfield, but that is largely dependent on how we run the football. Kevin is a big part of that."

Smith, 22, rushed for 976 yards and eight touchdowns in 2008 for the Lions. He has rushed for 204 yards and one touchdown this season, averaging 3.7 yards per carry.

Former Seahawks running back Maurice Morris is Smith's primary backup.

-Tom Musick