Bears encouraged by Orton's progress

According to Bears coach Lovie Smith, quarterback Kyle Orton's sprained right ankle continued to improve.

Orton practiced again Friday on a limited basis and was listed as "probable" on the league injury report, which means he has a 75 percent chance of playing.

A final decision on Orton may wait until after pregame warmups Sunday.

"He looked better (Friday) than he did (Thursday), so we're keeping our fingers crossed with him," Smith said. "We'll let him go out (in pregame) of course, but we have (today) to see how it goes for him. He's gotten better each day, there's no reason to think that won't continue until Sunday. We're encouraged."

Orton was ninth in the NFL after 10 weeks with a 90.8 passer rating, but he thinks the running game might be more important Sunday.

"They commit so many guys to coverage that you've got to do a good job running the football and making plays with your running backs and tight ends," Orton said. "We should have good matchups with our tight ends like always, and with our running backs. Running it or throwing it, we've got to be able to play well inside."

Running back Matt Forte is also the Bears leading receiver with 37 catches, and tight end Greg Olsen is second with 29 receptions and first with 346 receiving yards.

Ready and waiting: Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd went through an entire week of full practice and is ready to contribute Sunday.

He was good to go last Sunday, too, but didn't play based on Lovie Smith's decision.

"I was ready to play, but I wasn't mad that I didn't because it was a decision that was going to help the team," Lloyd said Friday. "If me playing was going to help the team, fine. But if me sitting out was going to help the team, fine. It was all strategy. It didn't have anything to do with any kind of discipline or anything other than that."

It's difficult to figure how rookie wide receiver Earl Bennett, who doesn't have a reception yet and is a marginal contributor on special teams, helped the team more than Lloyd, who led the team in catches and receiving yards when he was injured Sept. 28.

Lloyd is looking forward to picking up where he left off, but it remains to be seen if he gets the same number of reps.

Welcome wagon: Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye doesn't expect a warm reception when the team bus rolls into Green Bay, but he's still looking forward to it.

"They're pretty bad," he said of the Packer backers. "It's not even on the field, it's the drive up. It's when you drive past people's homes and (you see) the fingers and the mooning. That stuff is expected; there's no love lost between us two, and it's exciting to go up there. We've had some success the last couple years, so I can't wait to get up there."

The Bears have won four straight games at Lambeau Field.

Injury update: In addition to Kyle Orton, linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (thumb) and cornerback Charles Tillman (shoulder) were listed as probable. Like Orton, Tillman was limited at practice, but is expected to play. Hillenmeyer went through the full practice. Backup offensive tackle Fred Miller (shoulder) did not practice and is doubtful.