Forte, who did not participate in practice again Thursday, said the injury to his right big toe isn't serious but added that it's in an area that is crucial at his position.

"I just (need) to get rest on it, and when you have treatment (scheduled) you have to go to it," Forte said Wednesday. "A lot of people think it's just a toe, but a toe's very important when you're a running back because you have to make cuts and things like that."

Forte is eighth in the NFL with 1,115 rushing yards and needs 69 more to surpass the team record of 1,183 by a rookie set in 2001 by Anthony Thomas.

Forte was injured on the Bears' first play from scrimmage last Thursday night against the Saints and missed about a quarter before returning, which he said was important.

"It was a big game, and I was looking forward to it," he said. "Unfortunately, things happen like that, you get hurt on the first carry. (But) it was good for me to go back out there and play the rest of the game."

PLAYER NOTES

--QB Kyle Orton has just five TD passes in his past six games, while being intercepted six times.

--RB Matt Forte is third in the NFL with 1,539 yards from scrimmage, just five yards behind Clinton Portis, who is second. Forte's 58 receptions are the most in the NFL by a running back

--TE Greg Olsen is second on the Bears with 45 receptions and 495 yards and tied for second with three TD catches.

--DT Tommie Harris has five sacks in an otherwise down year, and his 18 sacks since the start of the 2006 season are the most in the NFL by a defensive tackle.

--DE Adewale Ogunleye's interception in Week 15 was the first of his eight-year career.

GAME PLAN: No team in the past 40 games ran for more than the 200 yards the Packers piled up on the Bears on Nov. 16, so the defense knows its first priority is to prevent another embarrassment like that. If the Bears do a better job containing Ryan Grant (145 yards on 25 carries in the first game), they believe they'll be able to put more pressure on QB Aaron Rodgers when he is forced into obvious passing situations, which he rarely was five weeks ago.

Offensively the Bears may be more inclined to let backups Adrian Peterson and/or Kevin Jones give workhorse rookie RB Matt Forte some down time, considering he suffered a toe injury in Week 15, when he had his least productive rushing game of the season (34 yards on 11 carries) and has been limited in practice this week. Forte already has 338 touches this season, including 280 carries. The Bears will continue to look to Forte and TEs Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark this week, considering the last time they played the Packers, their wide receivers combined for only four catches and 60 yards.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Bears LBs Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs vs. Packers RB Ryan Grant - Grant gashed the Bears for 145 yards in their first meeting.

Bears WRs Devin Hester, Brandon Lloyd and Rashied Davis vs. Packers CBs Al Harris and Tramon Williams and S Charles Woodson: Hester, Lloyd and Davis caught just four passes between them at Green Bay in Week 11.

INJURY IMPACT:

--RB Matt Forte did not practice Thursday but is expected back on Friday and should start Monday night.

--DT Tommie Harris, who has all five of his sacks in the last eight games, was able to practice without limitations Thursday, although he has been held out of the first full practice most weeks to rest his injured knee.