Chiefs run over in loss

Kansas City's Priest Holmes runs through the arm tackle of Carolina's Ricky Manning Jr. during the Chiefs' 28-17 loss to the Panthers at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday. Kansas City is now 0-2 and could be without Holmes for a few weeks because of an ankle injury that occurred during the fourth quarter.

By Doug Tucker

AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- DeShaun Foster was only asked to replace the injured Stephen Davis, not run him out of the Carolina record book.

That was almost what Foster did Sunday while rushing for 174 yards and leading the Panthers (1-1) to a 28-17 victory over the winless Kansas City Chiefs.

Foster was 4 yards shy of the single-game record Davis set for the Panthers a year ago. His 71-yard gallop in the fourth quarter was the longest in team history, while Davis couldn't play after spraining his knee in practice last week.

''I've always felt good about his inside running ability,'' Panthers coach John Fox said. ''He's a very talented back. He's got size to run inside and he's got speed and quickness to get around the perimeter.''

Foster said he had no idea he was so close to the record.

''I just wanted to get 150 yards,'' Foster said. ''You always have to step up when somebody goes down.''

Also missing was the Panthers' other star offensive performer -- wide receiver Steve Smith, who was hurt in the opener. His replacement, Keary Colbert, caught one of Jake Delhomme's three touchdown passes.

''Fortunately, our scouting department did an outstanding job,'' Fox said.

The Chiefs (0-2) were still within reach at 21-17 when Foster iced the game with his long gallop, which was followed immediately by a 3-yard TD run that gave the Panthers an 11-point lead with 10:35 left.

The play unfolded like a nightmare for the Chiefs, who showed no signs of making any improvement to one of the NFL's sorriest defenses.

''I couldn't believe he was running down the field like that,'' defensive end Eric Hicks said. ''That stinks. We can't let that happen. I can give you a million anecdotes and a million quips and quotes, but we've got to fix it.''

The loss snapped the Chiefs' 13-game home winning streak in regular-season games.

''This is a hostile environment,'' Carolina safety Mike Minter said. ''I think they had a streak of 15 or 16 regular-season games and for us to come out and break that streak is tremendous, especially coming off a bad (loss to Green Bay) on Monday night.''

Delhomme threw touchdown passes of 3 yards to Kris Mangum, 9 to Colbert and 1 to Mike Seidman. But it was the one to Mangum in the first quarter that served notice this would be the Panthers' day.

On second down from the 3, linebacker Monty Beisel came charging in on a blitz, got a hand on Delhomme's jersey and spun him completely around. But as Delhomme was about to be slammed to the turf, he heaved a floater in the direction of the end zone. Mangum, who was left uncovered, cradled the ball for a TD that made the crowd groan.

''I saw him there and he was wide open,'' Delhomme said. ''I tried to spin and throw it. I needed to get lucky and I did.''

The Chiefs took a 3-0 lead on Lawrence Tynes' 33-yard field goal on their first possession. They went up 10-7 in the second quarter when Priest Holmes capped a 69-yard drive with a 1-yard vault into the end zone for the only touchdown mustered by an offense that led the NFL in scoring each of the past two years.

Notes: Tight end Tony Gonzalez has caught a pass in 54 consecutive games, the second-longest string in Chiefs history, and has at least one reception in 98 of his last 99 games.