Marion Barber did not participate in team practice for the Chicago Bears on Wednesday and Thursday due to a calf injury, and now he is not expected to play on Sunday due to that same injury, according to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune. McClure source tells him that Barber is a no-go on Sunday, leaving Kahlil Bell to make is second career start when the Bears meet the Green Bay Packers. Lovie Smith doesn't exactly seem worried about Bell taking on a larger role, and had nothing but good things to say about the young undrafted free agent running back out of UCLA:
There are bigger concerns I have, and Kahlil is not one of them. I vividly remember his first carry he had at Soldier Field (a franchise-rookie record 72-yard run). I see him every day in practice going against our No. 1 defense. He can make you miss in the open field. He can run with power inside. He can catch the ball out of the backfield. I'm excited about the opportunity he has.
On the season, Bell has 162 yards rushing on 39 carries for an average of 4.2 yards per carry, and has only amassed 382 yards rushing on 79 carries in his entire three-year NFL career. The Bears will be running an offense that looks a lot more like a practice squad from a personnel standpoint, with Josh McCown at quarterback and Kahlil Bell at running back.