Kansas City, Mo. ? Running back Larry Johnson sat out a second straight practice Thursday with a sore hamstring, a bad sign for a Kansas City offense that’s scored only two touchdowns in three games.

Johnson, the two-time Pro Bowler who has struggled after missing almost the entire training camp in a contract dispute, is expected to play Sunday at San Diego, coach Herm Edwards said.

“It’s not so bad where he can’t run,” Edwards said. “He’s sore. What we don’t want to do is put him in a position where he really hurts it. The guy’s got a sore hamstring. So we’re trying to rest it.”

Johnson, who referred to his problem as “a little knickknack” on Monday, managed only 42 yards on 24 carries last week against a Minnesota defense that was stacked up at the line to stop him.

Behind an offensive line which has just two players in the same position they played last year, Johnson has only 140 yards on 50 carries for an average of 2.8 yards that is far off the pace he sat while rushing for a team-record 1,789 yards in 2006.

His backup, Michael Bennett, said he expected Johnson to be at full strength by Sunday.

“It’s just sore. It’s not like it’s pulled or anything,” Bennett said. “They’re just monitoring it, being safe about it.”

Bennett has carried only 16 times for 45 yards for the Chiefs (1-2), and has a 2.8-yard average.

“I’m ready. I’m definitely ready,” he said. “But Larry will be ready. He’s just resting it and getting the treatment he needs. He was able to jog and run around good today inside our practice bubble.”

In the meantime, Edwards denied that starting quarterback Damon Huard may be on the verge of getting benched in favor of backup Brodie Croyle. Edwards said his remarks had been misunderstood on Tuesday when he said he had thought about putting Croyle in the game in the second half against Minnesota last week.

“Damon is not on a short leash. He’s really not,” Edwards said. “My biggest problem is I tell the truth. When people ask what was I thinking last week, it’s the truth. I was thinking that. You can think a lot of things. But until you react, it’s just a thought.

“That decision is a big decision. That’s why I’m patient. I’m patient with most decisions when it comes to taking a player out. There’s a ripple effect.”

Huard, who regrouped in the second half against Minnesota and led the Chiefs to a 13-10 win, said he did not worry about being replaced. Croyle, it was widely believed, was the choice of Edwards to be the starter until the second-year pro performed poorly in the preseason.

“There’s pressure every week to have a good game,” he said. “Maybe half the quarterbacks in this league don’t have to worry about ever coming out if their performance is bad. But for a lot of other guys, every week there’s pressure to perform and do well. It’s a results-driven league. You either get the job done or you don’t.

“If you don’t, they’re probably thinking about making a change.”