"Nobody knows exactly what to expect from Brian Urlacher when he takes the field Sunday, one day after his mother's funeral. The only sure thing is that his teammates will follow his lead. They can't truly feel his pain. But they're fueled by the same emotion.

''I think this week we've all been driven by it a little bit,'' said long snapper Pat Mannelly, a 14-year veteran and the only current player who was here when Urlacher arrived in 2000. ''We're a pretty close group of guys. When somebody has an issue, especially like a death like this, everybody rallies around him. I think everyone is motivated to play the game their own way, but I do think something like this might raise it a little bit.''

That might be the same with every team in the NFL. But the Bears under coach Lovie Smith take it to a different level. There's probably not another team that closes ranks in the face of adversity — perceived or real — like the Bears do."