Not cleared yet, Bears' Briggs wants to play

Lance Briggs has some concern about keeping up with the Eagles’ fast-paced offense — presuming he’s cleared before Sunday’s game.

“I’ve been playing football for a long time and it just so happens that we’re going against a team that runs 80 plays a game offensively,” Briggs said Thursday at Halas Hall. “So that’ll be interesting.”

The Bears’ weak-side linebacker said he’ll “find out soon enough” whether he’s been cleared by Bears doctors. He’ll be examined again Friday — and, if he’s not cleared, again Saturday or early Sunday.

Briggs said he felt “helpless” being sidelined with a fractured left shoulder since Oct. 20. He’s been practicing for the last two weeks — and was limited Thursday.

“I like to think I’m a guy who’s going to get in his gap and when the opportunity’s there, try to make it,” Briggs said. “Hopefully I can help the team. I don’t want to get out there and hurt us.”

Trestman said “it looks like we’re moving in the right direction” with Briggs’ injury. He said the linebacker could play limited snaps Sunday, too.

“”If Lance has a chance to play,” Trestman said, “I think that lifts our football team.”