How the Chicago Bears formed a contingency plan at linebacker, and why it needs to work again

Are the Bears for real? NFC North chaos and huge playoff stakes | 1st & North

Are the Bears for real? On this episode of "1st & North," Lou Canellis and other NFC North insiders dive into that question. Plus, whether the Vikings and J.J. McCarthy are done for the season — and who will emerge victorious in an NFC North battle with huge playoff implications.

It’s been a heck of a week for Richard Smith.

When the Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson, he said to be comfortable being uncomfortable. As the linebackers coach, Smith being uncomfortable meant having a career first happen to him in Week 12.

That career first was losing his three starting linebackers before a game vs. Pittsburgh and their backup during the game.

"So this is a first, you know what I mean?" he said on Tuesday at Halas Hall.

The preparation served the Bears and their reserve linebackers well last week. Amen Ogbongbemiga and D’Marco Jackson were two crucial pieces of a short-handed defense that still staved off a Steelers’ offense that focused on running the ball.

That preparation was part of a contingency plan the Bears formed well before injuries ravaged their roster. That plan can serve the Bears well again, as they could be short-handed for a second week in a row.

What they're saying:

With Tremaine Edmunds on injured reserve, Noah Sewell and TJ Edwards would not have practiced on Tuesday if the Bears had a full day of work instead of a walkthrough. Both Sewell and Edwards didn't practice on Wednesday, but, even if they did practice, they might be a game-time decision.

The Bears are prepared for this.

"We have a good projection of who will have available for us there on game day and contingency plans that if we end up losing a guy or two at certain spots, then we'll have to make some adjustments," Bears head coach Ben Johnson said. "That's what (defensive coordinator Dennis Allen) and this group have done a great job of on their side of the ball. We do the same thing on offense, just to make sure we're prepared and we don't miss a beat."

Originally, it was Jackson and rookie Ruben Hyppolite II starting at linebacker. As the game went on, Hyppolite left with a shoulder injury and didn’t return.

Ogbongbemiga filled in for Hyppolite, and tag-teamed with Jackson to record 29 total tackles. If Hyppolite can’t play on Friday, the Bears have linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who was signed last week, and Carl Jones Jr. at depth at linebacker. The Bears also added linebacker Dominique Hampton to the practice squad.

The coaching staff is confident that whoever is called upon this weekend will be in a position to play linebacker for the Bears will be prepared to play. Part of it is because of how the Bears make sure they get players who aren’t expected to see meaningful snaps some extra work just in case.

That extra work has been crucial as the Bears’ depth level at linebacker is a concerning level, with all-world running back Saquon Barkley next up.

"We do a lot extra with the guys that aren't necessarily expected to play a lot of snaps, because eventually they have to play snaps and nobody cares," Allen said. "Ninety percent of the world doesn't care about your problems. The other 10 percent is glad you have them."

What's next:

The Bears’ process for the last two weeks hasn’t been any deviation from the norm.

The team has been operating with back-ups since the beginning of the season. The secondary has already missed Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson for most of the season with injuries. The same process to fill the linebackers' shoes was used in the secondary, especially the nickelback position.

Nicklebacks coach Cannon Matthews said he’d been in a similar position before in his career when players were injured and the coaches had to find ways to make it work.

"Late in the year heading into the playoffs when I was in Dallas, our back end was kind of decimated with injuries," Matthews said. "I know the nickel position specifically, we had about four different guys at the end of the run. And then we actually ended up using safeties once we got to the playoffs."

Matthew said the biggest factor in getting players ready was having the contingency plan in place just in case there were emergency injuries.

That plan included getting players ready well before injuries hit. That’s what the Bears have instituted now under Johnson and Allen. The position coaches have seen the players take to it well.

"It's a credit to those guys that they've been in all the meetings and listened and prepared themselves just like they were the starter and came in and performed at a pretty good level," Smith said. "Which I was proud of."

That worked for the Bears last weekend.

That has to work this weekend for the Bears if they want to improve to 9-3. There’s no bigger challenge the Bears have faced in November, and since Week 2 vs. Detroit, than the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles.

"I don't care whether you're the starter or you're the last guy on the practice squad," Allen said. "You have to come in here every day trying to improve because you never know if you’re one hangnail away from being in the game."