Top back Willie Parker missed five games with a shoulder injury, while promising rookie Rashad Mendenhall is on season-ending injured reserve with a broken shoulder.

Parker, who did not practice Wednesday, but was a full participant yesterday, remains iffy for Sunday's game at Gillette Stadium. He's now battling a knee problem. Mewelde Moore filled in capably in Parker's absence, lugging the ball 109 times for 432 yards (4.0 average) with five touchdowns.

On Wednesday, Pats coach Bill Belichick talked about the styles of Parker and Moore.

``Parker is fast. He is a good perimeter runner,'' he said. ``I would say Moore is more along the Kevin Faulk lines. He is a quicker, smaller guy, good receiver, kick returner, but I think Parker has a little more power and straight line speed. Parker is as fast as any back in the league.''

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin claimed his running game, a longtime strength of the offense, hasn't been compromised by the injuries.

``If we are going to be good,'' he said, ``we have to be capable of winning games in a lot of ways - running it, throwing it - and if we are going to be be a complete offense, a complete team, we have to be able to do that..''

Mayo booster

Tomlin has been impressed by what he's seen on film of Pats rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo.

``He's very, very fast, very physical. He runs around (and) makes a bunch of plays for them,'' Tomlin said. ``He's not playing like a rookie by any stretch, based on what we've seen on tape.''

Seymour missing

The Pats did work out yesterday, and for the second straight day, defensive end Richard Seymour missed practice with what's being listed as a knee injury. Seymour had been limited with a toe problem last week, but played in Miami.

This appears to be a different problem, although a source did not believe it would keep him out of Sunday's game.

Read the Patriots Point After at bostonherald.com.