Bears/Redskins Notes

"He's been very good all year," Smith said after practice Tuesday. "[He's] played hard. He's done everything we've asked him to do, so we'll miss him this week.

"As far as taking up the slack, Antonio Garay is the next guy up and we still have Darwin Walker and Tommie Harris. Israel Idonije can also play a little bit inside and he's done it, so numbers-wise we're still OK."

"After we play this Thursday, we have another 10 days before we have an opportunity to play and go to Minnesota," said Vasher, who had missed just two games due to injuries in his first three seasons. "Hopefully I'll be able to have a great week of practice and you'll see me out there."

Devin Hester was two years old the last time Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs debated whether to keep the ball away from an explosive Bears kick returner.

That was back in 1985 when the Bears were just beginning their magical run to Super Bowl XX with a Week 4 showdown against Gibbs and the Redskins at Soldier Field.

Devin Hester has tied the NFL record he set last season with five kick return TDs in 2007.
"I always think back to Wayne Sevier when he was coaching here on special teams," Gibbs recalled this week. "We were playing the Bears and he said, `Hey, we are going to kick right to Willie Gault. We are going to go down and show them. That is the best guy they have and we are going to show them.'

"He ran it back (99) yards. I walked down and I said, `OK, that is the end of that. We aren't going to show them anymore. Find a different way. Kick it to somebody else.'"