The Chicago Bears might face their toughest test of the season without their best player.
Cornerback Charles Tillman told WSCR-AM in Chicago he won't play in Sunday night's game against the 7-1 Houston Texans if his wife goes into labor.
"The wife is due any day, so hopefully this baby can stay in until after the game on Sunday," Tillman said. "I hope she stays in -- I'm having another girl. Monday, for sure, but if she comes Sunday, I think I'm going to have to be at the hospital Sunday. So, I hope she stays in until after Sunday."
Tillman's choice is a noble one that not every Bears fan will support. He was a one-man wrecking crew in Sunday's blasting of the Tennessee Titans. Tillman forced four fumbles in the 51-20 win, giving him seven on the season.
Sunday night's matchup looms as a forum for Tillman and Texans pass-rusher J.J. Watt to make their case in the race for defensive player of the year. Watt has been a terror for Houston, taking apart opposing quarterbacks and owning the line of scrimmage. Tillman, at age 31, is the engine behind a dominant Bears defense.
This game is a potential Super Bowl preview, but the birth of Tillman's daughter only happens once. There will be another Sunday.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.