KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- If running back Donnell Bennett is having a bad game Sunday night against Minnesota, the Kansas City Chiefs could rush Bam Morris into the fray.

If Bam bombs, Tony Richardson stands ready to carry the ball.

If all three are off the mark, then the Chiefs might drop their big back attack altogether and shift to Rashaan Shehee and Mike Cloud, their quicker, shiftier threats.

One of the five ought to be able to do the job because, at one time or another, all five have. Counting Kimble Anders, who's out with an injury, Kansas City has had six backs be the leading rusher in at least one game this year.

It might be the most diversified running game in the NFL. And it's not the easiest thing for a defense to plan for.

"We can't worry about whether Mike Cloud or Rashaan Shehee or Bam Morris is running," said Minnesota coach Dennis Green. "The bottom line is they're all good runners. Guys like Tony Richardson and Bennett can also get out and catch the ball. We've just got to be ready to defend all of them."

To be sure, there's not a Pro Bowl candidate in the bunch. Bennett's team-leading 474 yards doesn't even put him in the top 15 in the league. But as a team, the conservative-minded Chiefs are averaging almost 120 yards rushing, 11th in the NFL, and appearing to gain greater traction week by week.

With quarterback Elvis Grbac finding his touch with play-action passes, the ground game has been particularly effective the past two weeks in road wins over Oakland and Denver. That brought the Chiefs (7-5) right back into the AFC West race.

"They're going to try to control the ball, because that's their style," predicted Green, whose Vikings (7-5) had their five-game winning streak snapped Monday night with a 24-17 loss at Tampa Bay. "They have a combination of runs working off play-action passes. They're very good at it."

While the Chiefs trail front-running Seattle by one game in the AFC West, the Vikings are one behind Detroit and Tampa Bay in the NFC Central.

But unlike the ground-gobbling Kansas Citians, Minnesota travels by air. Quarterback Jeff George is leading a passing attack that's No. 1 in the league with 263.7 yards per game, and Cris Carter and Randy Moss present the league's lone 1,000-yard receiving duo.

Could there be an easier game plan to figure out than Kansas City's?

"Keep their offense off the field. That's what it's all about," said Chiefs' left guard Dave Szott. "Any time you're playing against an offense that's so powerful and quick, with people like Randy Moss and Cris Carter, you've go to grind the ball out and keep them off the field."

Far be it from the Vikings, however, to boast of keeping the Chiefs off-guard.

"I don't think Kansas City is going to change what they do one iota. They're not afraid of us," said Green.

"Kansas City knows us very well. They know the team that's the most physical, the team that can run the ball is going to win the football game. We had 150 yards (passing) against Tampa Bay in the first quarter and didn't have a point."

The value of a physical, effective running game could be especially high in December, when cold weather sets in and it's frequently snowy. For the Chiefs, right on cue, weather watchers were saying that by kickoff at 8:20 p.m. EST Sunday, a cold rain could be pelting Arrowhead Stadium.

"This time of year, you've got to pound 'em and pound 'em," said the 255-pound Morris.

"By the fourth quarter, it's 20 below. Nobody wants to tackle you. The ball feels like it weighs 100 pounds. You've got to maintain a good running game when it's cold and wet.

"I like the cold, the snow, the wet and the rain. I love playing in December."

MINNESOTA Season schedule and results

KANSAS CITY Season schedule and results

September 12 @Atlanta W 17-14 September 19 Oakland L 17-22 September 26 @Green Bay L 20-23 October 3 Tampa Bay W 21-14 October 10 Chicago L 22-24 October 17 @Detroit L 23-25 October 24 San Francisco W 40-16 October 31 @Denver W 23-20 November 8 Dallas W 27-17 November 14 @Chicago W 27-24 November 28 San Diego W 35-27 December 6 @Tampa Bay L 17-24 December 12 @Kansas City 8:20pm ET December 20 Green Bay 9:00pm ET December 26 @NY Giants 1:00pm ET January 2 Detroit 1:00pm ET

September 12 @Chicago L 17-20 September 19 Denver W 26-10 September 26 Detroit W 31-21 October 3 @San Diego L 14-21 October 10 New England W 16-14 October 21 @Baltimore W 35-8 October 31 San Diego W 34-0 November 7 @Indianapolis L 17-25 November 14 @Tampa Bay L 10-17 November 21 Seattle L 19-31 November 28 @Oakland W 37-34 December 5 @Denver W 16-10 December 12 Minnesota 8:20pm ET December 18 Pittsburgh 12:40pm ET December 26 @Seattle 4:05pm ET January 2 Oakland 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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