Running back Kolby Smith (21) of the Kansas City Chiefs runs for a short gain against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter of the Raiders 20-17 win at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (Captured Images/Kenny Felt)

But after gaining 151 yards on his first 30 rushes, the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive line couldn't push the Oakland Raiders back on a fourth-and-one play with 4:26 remaining in the contest, putting a damper on the rookie running back's outstanding effort in his first NFL start.

Making this even more unfortunate for Smith was the fact that Chiefs' head coach Herman Edwards made a bizarre decision to challenge the spot of the ball after coming out of a time out. At most, a positive verdict would have gained a half yard -- but not a first down -- but the Chiefs lost the challenge, meaning they had just burned a second time out without even running a play.

Worse yet, it was apparent Edwards was going to go for the first down no matter where the ball was spotted, which implied that he had lost faith in kicker Dave Raymer, who had missed a 33-yarder with 10:54 remaining that would have put the Chiefs up by a touchdown at the time.

"I felt we were going to make the first down," Edwards said in a press conference after the game. "I really did. I was going to put it on the offensive line. We were doing a pretty good job of running the ball. It was a yard."

But after Raymer's miss, the Raiders, 3-8, needed just three plays to score what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown on a 14-yard run up the middle by Justin Fargas with 9:40 remaining.

Edwards justified his decision by saying that he "didn't want to put that pressure on my kicker. I wanted to put it on the running back and on the offensive line.

"If you're going to beat a good football team, you gotta make a yard. We did it before and I felt we could make a yard. It didn't work out. We didn't make it."

The Chiefs fell to 4-7, just one game ahead of the Raiders in the AFC West, prompting concerns among other media outlets that Sunday's game against San Diego might not sell out.

It was Kansas City's fourth straight loss and its first to Oakland in 10 games. The Raiders broke a six-game losing streak overall and a five-game skid at Arrowhead.

Smith was starting due to the lingering injury to starter Larry Johnson and the sudden retirement of Priest Holmes earlier this week after he reinjured his neck in last week's game at Indianapolis. The 5' 11" rookie out of Louisville demonstrated quickness, toughness and an ability to sidestep tacklers and find an extra couple of yards.

Smith scored his first touchdown with 6:02 left in the first quarter, bolting up the middle from 10 yards out to put the Chiefs ahead 7-3. It was Kansas City's first possession after Sebastian Janikowski booted a 25-yard field goal for Oakland on the game's opening drive.

"I was speechless," Smith said of his first NFL score. "It was something I've been dreaming of all my life. And having it come true was unbelievable.

"I'll probably give the ball to my dad. He's been my biggest fan. Since I was young, he's always been the one who made it to my games even when my mom or brother couldn't make it."

Smith gained 61 yards on that drive alone and had 94 by halftime after the teams traded field goals -- Janikowski a 54-yarder and Raymer one from 30 yards -- in the second quarter.

"I'm not saying I'm like a genie or whatever, but I kind of knew he was going to do that well," Kansas City tight end Tony Gonzalez said. "He's been working hard and busting his butt. He's the example that proves that you don't know when your opportunity is going to come, so you'd better be prepared for it. And he went out and played well today."

Smith was the first Chiefs rookie to gain 100 yards since Harvey Williams accomplished the feat against Buffalo in October of 1991. He also became the first Kansas City player to score a rushing touchdown other than Johnson or Holmes in the Chiefs' last 45 games.

The Chiefs defense was also playing well in the first half, holding the Raiders to just 93 total net yards. But Oakland's offense began to gain yards in the second half with Lamont Jordan's five-yard run putting it ahead, 13-10, with 6:04 left in the third quarter.

The Chiefs answered right back with a nine-play, 63-yard drive capped by Smith's second TD, this from five yards out with 43 seconds left to go in the third.

But the Raiders were able to play ball control in the fourth, gaining 128 total yards in that period. In addition to Fargas' touchdown, his 21-yard gain right after Kansas City's last time out with 1:54 remaining erased any hope the Chiefs had left.

"We're confused by what went on today," Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said. "(I)n order to be a great defense, you gotta come up big like that. We didn't. We have to go back to the drawing board and put everything in perspective because we didn't do a good job today."

OAKLAND.......... 3 3 7 7 -- 20

KANSAS CITY.... 7 3 7 0 -- 17

Scoring

First Quarter

Oak -- FG Janikowski 25, 11:02.

KC -- Smith 10 run (Rayner kick), 6:02.

Second Quarter

Oak -- FG Janikowski 54, 10:39.

KC -- FG Rayner 30, 5:30.

Third Quarter

Oak -- Jordan 5 run (Janikowski kick), 6:04.

KC -- Smith, 5 run (Rayner kick), :43.

Fourth Quarter

Oak -- Fargas 14 run (Janikowski kick), 9:34.

Individual Satistics

RUSHING: Oakland -- Fargas 22-139, Dwight 1-10, Jordan 3-4, Culpepper 3-0. Kansas City -- Smith 31-150, Croyle 4-10, G.Harris 2-4.

PASSING: Oakland -- Culpepper 15-22-0-170. Kansas City -- Croyle 12-23-1-145.

RECEIVING: Oakland -- Oakland: Curry 6-39, Miller 4-38, Porter 3-75, Fargas 2-18. Kansas City -- Bowe 4-63, Gonzalez 3-48, Kennison 2-22, Parker 1-9, Smith 1-2, Wilson 1-1.

MISSED FIELD GOALS: Kansas City -- Rayner 33 (WL).