Running back Chester Taylor was listed as doubtful on the Vikings' first injury report of the week Wednesday, meaning there is only a 25 percent chance he will play Sunday at Detroit.
Taylor is nursing bruised ribs he injured in the second quarter of the Vikings' loss at Chicago last Sunday. Coach Brad Childress said Taylor has shown improvement and was spending time in the pool, "to try to move around, get himself feeling comfortable."
Added Childress: "Anyone that has had a rib injury knows how those things feel, let alone moving and getting poked on it. He's treating."
Taylor still could be upgraded. Nose tackle Pat Williams was listed as doubtful on last Thursday's injury report because of a knee injury but was upgraded to questionable Friday and played against Chicago.
Ciatrick Fason would replace Taylor, who is fifth in the NFL with 1,098 yards rushing, if he can't go. Third-down back Mewelde Moore also could see his carries increase.
Taylor has extra incentive to play in this game; he is from Detroit.
Road to recovery
Right tackle Marcus Johnson and right guard Artis Hicks were expected to do some work in practice Wednesday, according to Childress. Both have missed the past two games because of sprained left ankles. Johnson is listed as probable; Hicks is questionable.
"You'll probably have to look at that at game time," Childress said of their status.
Mike Rosenthal has served as the primary replacement for Johnson, and Jason Whittle has started in place of Hicks.
Center Matt Birk was the third offensive linemen on the injury report. He has a neck stinger that has bothered him for several weeks and was examined by doctors Tuesday. Childress said Birk appears to be all right but will have some additional tests done next week.
No hard feelings
Detroit's Roy Williams was injured 91 seconds into the first meeting of the season between the Lions and Vikings on Oct. 8 when safety Darren Sharper hit him with an elbow to the helmet after the receiver caught a 7-yard pass.
No penalty was called and Williams said Wednesday that he did not consider the hit to be a cheap shot. But Williams definitely felt his absence played a role in the Lions' 26-17 loss.
"It was kind of night and day when I went out," he said. "When I went out they started to bring a lot more pressure. I don't feel that they would have done that with me still in there."
Williams, who is second in the NFC with 1,043 yards receiving on 63 catches, said he doesn't believe any cornerback can cover him one-on-one. That would include Vikings rookie Cedric Griffin, who has replaced Fred Smoot as the starter at right corner. Griffin and Williams were teammates in college at Texas and frequently went against each other in practice.
Williams said the Vikings "got a steal" when they took Griffin in the second round of the draft and calls him one of the most physical corners he has faced. "I would put him in the top three," Williams said. "Quentin Jammer, back in my Texas days, going against him every day, I think he's the most physical corner that I've played against. [Green Bay's] Al Harris is second and then you've got Cedric Griffin."
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