Kansas City, Mo. ? Larry Johnson is going from the doghouse to the starting lineup.

The second-year running back, who didn’t even suit up the first few games and publicly has clashed with coaches, likely will start Sunday when Kansas City (5-8) plays host to Denver, coach Dick Vermeil said Tuesday.

Johnson, the first-round pick out of Penn State in 2003, has had two 100-yard games since standout running back Priest Holmes went out Nov. 7 because of a knee injury.

In Monday night’s 49-38 victory over Tennessee, Johnson came off the bench in the third series and wound up with touchdown runs of 46 and 41 yards.

He totaled 104 yards in only seven carries and could make his first career start Sunday because starter Derrick Blaylock is nursing an injured knee.

His 46-yard touchdown run was the longest by a Chief since wide receiver Derrick Alexander scored on an 82-yard end-around against Pittsburgh five years ago.

“He showed a lot of poise,” Vermeil said. “Not one penalty, not one illegal procedure.”

Vermeil said he thought Johnson probably would start Sunday.

If so, it would mark a dramatic and improbable turnaround for the volatile Penn State product who had his first 100-yard rushing day the week before and helped a fourth-quarter rally that led to a victory over Oakland.

“How about Larry Johnson: gaining confidence, a better understanding of what’s happening within the running game, how to read a block, being a little more patient getting to the line of scrimmage and being more explosive when he gets there?” Vermeil said.

“He was pulling through tackles with his powerful legs and then (using) speed around the corner on the nice outside run. I’m happy for him, really proud of him.”

Early this season, Vermeil publicly scolded Johnson, telling him it was “time to take the diapers off.”

“It’s great to see a guy who’s been put through what he’s been put through get to where he is, walk off the field with a big grin, people interviewing him, and coming in the last guy in the locker room,” Vermeil said.

“He’s gone through tough times. Some of it he’s brought on himself, and maybe some of it we brought on him. But it’s a rewarding experience for him.”

Nevertheless, neither the emergence of Johnson nor the dramatic victory itself could hide that the Chiefs’ defense again was abysmal. The Titans, playing with their second-team quarterback, rolled up 542 total yards and 30 first downs. Backup Billy Volek consistently burned cornerbacks William Bartee and Eric Warfield and finished with 379 net yards passing. He also was sacked five times and the Titans lost five fumbles.

“Obviously, we have the same problems on defense and they’re glaring,” Vermeil said. “I don’t know if they’re solvable. I do know we’re asking some guys to do some things within the scheme that they just physically can’t consistently do too many snaps in a row. We’ve got to adjust that. We did adjust it in the second half and it helped us.”

Where the defensive backs go wrong is in tight man-to-man pass coverage.

“Mainly it’s press coverage, press man to man,” Vermeil said. “When we do it perfectly technique-wise, boy, we lock in and we do it well.”