Willie Parker was finally able to do something he hasn't done in more than a month: practice two days in a row.

Parker, a two-time Pro Bowl running back, went through a full workout again yesterday, and the Steelers are optimistic he will play Monday night against the Washington Redskins.

"He's smiling, finally," offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said after practice. "I've been waiting to see that. That's a telltale sign. When he started smiling, he was ready to go."

Parker has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and has missed the past four games. He had intended to return for each of the past two games, but he aggravated the injury after one practice two weeks ago and made it through just one full practice last week.

Unlike Parker, left tackle Marvel Smith, who was expected to return yesterday, did not practice and could miss his third consecutive game with back spasms. Also, outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley (calf) and nose tackle Casey Hampton (turf toe) did not practice for the second day in a row.

Defensive end Aaron Smith was excused from practice for personal reasons, but he is expected to play against the Redskins.

"I'm guardedly optimistic we'll have those players," defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said of Hampton and Smith.

"We're a better run defense with Casey and Aaron in there. We have good backups, but those two guys are two of our best."

Berger to resume punting

Mitch Berger said he will try to punt today for the first time this week and should know if he can play against the Redskins.

Berger has been bothered for two weeks by hamstring injuries in both legs, but he said he tweaked the hamstring in his planting leg by warming up too much before the New York Giants game Sunday.

"The left one has been pulled for a couple weeks now," Berger said. "It was getting better, then in pregame warmups I think I kicked too much and tired it out.

"I tweaked it again at the start of the game and it got worse and worse as the game went on."

As a precaution, the Steelers signed free-agent Ricky Schmitt to the practice squad earlier this week.

Keep going deep

Ben Roethlisberger can become only the fifth quarterback since the 1970 merger to throw touchdown passes of 48 yards or longer in four consecutive games.

Roethlisberger has scoring passes of 48, 50 and 65 yards in the past three games -- all to wide receiver Nate Washington. If Roethlisberger connects with Washington again on a pass of 48 yards or longer, it would be the first time that all four passes were to the same player.

The only quarterbacks to accomplish the feat are Dan Pastorini, Steve Bartkowski, Danny White and Warren Moon.

Politics at halftime

Steelers fans watching the game on TV will get more than halftime highlights Monday night.

Because it's the eve of the presidential election and the game is being played in the nation's capital (really, Landover, Md.), ESPN's Chris Berman will interview both major presidential candidates, Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, at halftime.

The interviews will be taped and conducted via satellite because the nominees will be on the campaign trail.