Kansas City, Mo ? The battles within the battle are what make NFL exhibition games intriguing.

From that perspective, Kansas City’s 26-16 victory Saturday night over Minnesota proved to be a good night for Doug Chapman and Derrick Blaylock.

Chapman, the four-year veteran competing with rookie Onterrio Smith to be the Vikings’ featured running back, had 34 yards on six carries for an average of 5.7 yards. Smith had four carries and netted two yards, including a one-yard touchdown plunge.

Blaylock clearly bested first-round draft choice Larry Johnson in the fight to back up Priest Holmes in the Chiefs’ backfield. Carrying six times, Blaylock showed good quickness while picking up 48 yards. He had one 17-yard gain going around the corner in the second quarter.

Johnson picked up 26 yards on nine carries.

“Chapman ran hard and really showed his toughness in there and averaged almost six yards a carry,” Minnesota coach Mike Tice said. “I thought that was outstanding.”

While Blaylock had the advantage of running behind the first-team offensive line, he also had the disadvantage of facing the Vikings’ No. 1 defense.

“I thought Derrick Blaylock came in and showed some flashes, which was nice,” Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil said. “Larry Johnson showed a flash or two, which was good. He’s got to grow.”

The Chiefs, who led the NFL in scoring last year but had failed to reach the end zone in two exhibition games, finally ended that drought. Trent Green connected with Marc Boerigter on a 59-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Then backup quarterback Todd Collins, who also had a good game, threw a 12-yard touchdown pass through an apparently confused Minnesota secondary in the second half.

Kansas City running back Derrick Blaylock carries the ball during the second quarter against the Vikings. Blaylock rushed for 48 yards in the Chiefs' 26-16 victory Saturday night in Kansas City, Mo.

Green was 7-of-13 for 152 yards. Collins hit 8-of-13 for 139 yards.

“I felt good,” Collins said. “At the end of the first half we went into a two-minute drill and that was my first time to work with the first unit. This is my third year in the system. I do feel more comfortable. I think it’s natural coming up through the system watching Trent and letting the coaches coach me.”

Daunte Culpepper was harried all night by a Kansas City defense that clearly had its best game of the exhibition season. The Minnesota QB wound up hitting 8-of-13 for 68 yards while scrambling four times for 17 yards.

“Our quarterback was under heat the whole day,” Tice said. “He hung in there and battled with no turnovers.”

Also making a good impression was young cornerback Horace Willis.

“I thought that Horace Willis continues to show that he might belong here,” said Tice, whose squad dropped to 0-2. “Each time he’s on the field he makes a big play.”

Morten Andersen kicked three field goals and Jose Cortez made one.

Holmes, coming back from season-ending hip surgery, got the most carries he’s had all summer. He went 41 yards on nine carries, including an 11-yard run and back-to-back eight-yard bursts that seemed to confirm that his hip is near 100 percent.