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Bears hobbled by rash of injuries

It’s not yet an epidemic, but the Bears’ injury situation is a concern looking ahead to Sunday’s clash with the Super Bowl-champion Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.

The offense already has been hit hard.

Right guard Lance Louis missed Sunday’s 30-13 loss at New Orleans after suffering a sprained ankle in the season opener, and right tackle Gabe Carimi was felled Sunday by a sprained knee that could keep him out for another couple of weeks.

Wide receiver Earl Bennett was unable to return to the game after a chest injury sidelined him in the second quarter Sunday, and he seems doubtful for the Packers.

Roy Williams missed the Saints game with a groin injury, but he could return this week, along with running back Marion Barber (calf), who didn’t play in either of the first two games.

“We need to get some other players back,” coach Lovie Smith said. “I’m talking (strong safety) Chris Harris, Lance Louis, Roy Williams and Marion Barber.”

Those four could all be back for the Pack, but Louis and Harris didn’t practice last week, while Williams and Barber practiced once on a limited basis.

There’s almost no chance Carimi, Bennett and Wright will be back — and it might be another week or more before any of them return.

Hoping Harris returns:The defense has enjoyed better health than the offense. But regaining the services of strong safety Chris Harris might be more important than anything else, given the disappointing play of the safeties in the loss to the Saints, and the head/neck injury suffered by free safety Major Wright in New Orleans.#147;Whenever you can put another veteran on the football field, who has been around quite a bit and knows our system (it helps),#148; coach Lovie Smith said of Harris. #147;But when he#146;s down, other guys have to step up.#148;No one stepped up in Week 2, and as a result, Saints quarterback Drew Brees made it look easy by torching the Bears short, long and in between.With Harris out, Brandon Meriweather, who has been with the team only since Sept. 4, started at free safety with Wright moving to strong safety.#147;We miss Chris a lot,#148; Meriweather said. #147;He#146;s one of the smartest guys on the defense. He can line people up, he#146;s like a crutch.#147;He#146;s somebody who we could depend on, when things are going bad, to get everybody focused. His leadership on the field is tremendous. He#146;s one of the better players I#146;ve played with.#148;Keeping it loose:Brandon Meriweather provided some comic relief Monday, when he was asked if, in light of the injury situation at safety, he knew the offense well enough to play an entire game.#147;Uhhhh, I don#146;t know what position on offense I#146;d be playing,#148; Meriweather said, chuckling. #147;You said, #145;Do I know the offense well enough.#146; I was confused. I was trying to figure out where I#146;d be playing. I have to ask coach (Mike) Martz, does he need me to run a dig route?#148;#147;Well, could you?#148; he was asked in jest.#147;You know what, I would do anything Coach Lovie asked me to,#148; he said. #147;If he asked me to run through a wall, I#146;d try my best. But, yes, I think I know the defense well enough to be out there.#147;I think I was out there a good amount this week to show that I do know the defense well enough to play.#148;Meriweather wasn#146;t signed until Sept. 4, but he started Sunday and he could be paired with Harris against the Packers.Third-down woes:All 3 of Drew Brees#146; touchdown passes came on third downs, situations where the Bears like to think they excel, and where they were No. 6 in the NFL last season.But against the Saints, the defense allowed 8 of 17 third-down conversions (47 percent), while the offense succeeded on just 2 of 12 (17 percent). The league average was 38.2 percent last season.#147;Third downs really hurt us a lot,#148; Lovie Smith said. #147;You can#146;t win many football games when you#146;re (converting) 17 percent.#147;Defensively, we didn#146;t take the ball away enough. One take-away isn#146;t going to get it. Letting them convert 47 percent on third downs won#146;t get it either for us, and we lost momentum with the long touchdown pass (79-yarder to Devery Henderson).#148;ŸFollow Bob#146;s Bears reports via Twitter @BobLeGere and check out our Bear Essentials blog at dailyherald.com.FBN26691835Bears defensive back Brandon Meriweather tackles Saints tight end Jimmy Graham.Associated PressFBN