Clark, Payne expected to miss Sunday night game

Bears tight end Desmond Clark (neck) and safety Kevin Payne (back) missed practice again Friday and were listed as doubtful on the injury report, meaning both are unlikely to play Sunday night against the Eagles.

“Neither has practiced this week, so you know what that means,” said coach Lovie Smith. “Beyond that, we’re in pretty good shape.”

No other Bears players are listed as questionable or probable.

For the Eagles, running back Brian Westbrook (concussion), receiver Kevin Curtis (knee), safety Quintin Demps (ankle) and linebacker Akeem Jordan (knee) are out. Cornerback Sheldon Brown (hamstring) is questionable.

Bears promote Bell to take Wolfe's spot on active roster

The Bears have promoted rookie running back Kahlil Bell from the practice squad to their 53-man roster. He replaces running back Garrett Wolfe, who was placed on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney.

Bell entered the NFL this year as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings. He was signed to the Bears practice squad Sept. 16 after being waived/injured by Minnesota on Aug. 16.

In four seasons at UCLA, the 5-11, 212-pounder rushed for 1,741 yards and 17 touchdowns on 395 carries and caught 29 passes for 196 yards and 1 TD in 35 games.

Asked what being added to the active roster meant to him, Bell said: “Everything. It’s been a dream of mine to play football, and I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to be where I’m at right now.”

Bell likely will serve as the third running back behind Matt Forte and Adrian Peterson while also contributing on special teams.

“I did a little bit of special teams in college—not too much—but football’s football,” Bell said. “If you’re a football player—whether you’re blocking, tackling, running the ball or catching it—you can play football. I pride myself on being a complete football player. So if I get that opportunity and I get a chance to run down and make a tackle, I’m going to try to take full advantage of it.”

Bears working to keep flags in officials' pockets

The Bears have committed 19 penalties in their last two games, the most in back-to-back contests since they drew 20 flags in the second and third games of last season.

The Bears rank 26th in the NFL with 61 penalties this year, an average of 6.8 per game. That’s nearly  two flags more per contest than last season, when they drew 78 flags, an average of 4.9.

Asked how the Bears can limit penalties, coach Lovie Smith said: “Just keep working on it, keep bringing attention to it. It’s just a part of what we need to do to just play better football. Discipline is a part of that.

“Whether it’s being onside, whatever penalties we’ve made, we just put an emphasis on it. We know that that can hurt us. It’s too hard moving the ball without it or trying to stop someone without giving them something cheap.”

Penalties were very costly in last Thursday night’s loss to the 49ers. An offside foul on Adewale Ogunleye nullified a Lance Briggs interception and an illegal-man-downfield infraction on Roberto Garza wiped out Jay Cutler’s 40-yard pass to Earl Bennett. 

The Bears offense later drew three penalties on the first five plays on their final drive of the game when they were trying to erase a four-point deficit.

Bears defense preparing for seldom-used Vick

Although Michael Vick has made little if any impact with the Eagles this season, the Bears are still preparing to face the versatile backup quarterback Sunday night at Soldier Field.

Vick has completed just 2 of 7 passes for six yards and rushed for 27 yards on 12 carries in limited action this year. In last Sunday’s loss to the Chargers, his only pass attempt fell incomplete and he had no rushes.

“Michael hasn’t been as big a factor in their offense for whatever reason right now, but he’s still Michael Vick,” said coach Lovie Smith. “As far as our preparation goes, yes, we assume that he’ll have a bigger part than he’s had in the past, and we’re getting ready for that.”

Gould again second most accurate kicker in NFL history

After briefly slipping to third on the list, Robbie Gould has flip-flopped with the Chargers’ Nate Kaeding and is again the second most accurate field-goal kicker in NFL history.

Gould made both of his attempts in last Thursday night’s loss in San Francisco from 50 and 38 yards, improving his career percentage to 85.91, narrowly ahead of Kaeding’s 85.89.

To surpass all-time leader Mike Vanderjagt (86.5), Gould would have to make his next six field goals. The fifth-year pro from Penn State has connected on 12 of 14 attempts (85.7 percent) this season.

Gould ranks fifth on the Bears’ all-time scoring list with 526 points, trailing Kevin Butler (1,116), Walter Payton (750), Bob Thomas (629) and George Blanda (541).

Wolfe lands on injured reserve for second straight year

The Bears have placed running back Garrett Wolfe on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney. The third-year pro sustained the injury Nov. 8 in a 41-21 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field.

Wolfe rushed for 120 yards and 1 touchdown on 22 carries, caught two passes for 12 yards, and registered nine special-teams tackles in eight games this season.

This is the second straight year that Wolfe has landed on injured reserve. He missed the final three games last season with a pulled hamstring after rushing for 69 yards on 15 carries. He also recorded 21 special-teams tackles and returned a blocked punt 17 yards for a touchdown in a 48-41 win over the Minnesota Vikings.