PITTSBURGH -- Steelers running back Willie Parker isn't optimistic about his chances of playing Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
An injured left big toe kept Parker out of the Steelers' 38-28 victory over the San Diego Chargers last Sunday, and Rashard Mendenhall ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns in his place.
With Mendenhall pushing to replace him as the starter, Parker didn't practice Wednesday because his toe still hasn't healed.
"I'm a competitor and I want to compete and show the world what I've got, but at the same time, I've got to be smart about it," said Parker, who ran for at least 1,200 yards every season from 2005 to 2007. "Right now, I'm not where I need to be."
When Parker last played in Detroit, his 75-yard touchdown run helped the Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-10 in Super Bowl XL in February 2006.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press