Arrowheadlines: Opening Day Kansas City Chiefs News 9/13

Chiefs vs. Texans: Game Preview from The Mothership

GAMETIME: 12:00 p.m. CST on Sunday, September 13

LOCATION: NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas

HOW TO WATCH: CBS (KCTV5 local)

HOW TO LISTEN: 101.1 The Fox

CHIEFS REWIND WRAP-UP SHOW: Local listings

GAMCENTER: Chiefs.com

In 2014, the Kansas City Chiefs (0-0) finished 9-7 and just missed out on advancing to the NFL playoffs.

And with that being the case, they had to watch as two teams they defeated in last year's regular season—the AFC's New England Patriots and the NFC's Seattle Seahawks—won game after game and advanced to the Super Bowl.

Obviously, the 2015 regular season couldn't come soon enough.

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Traveling to Houston

Chiefs Download Podcast: CBS Play-By-Play Announcer Kevin Harlan

Game Day Forecast from The National Weather Service [note: stadium's roof will likely be closed]

Today Sunny, with a high near 86. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.

NFL.com Video: Chiefs vs Texans Game Preview

NFL.com Video: Fans that players hate to play in front of

Containing Texans' J.J. Watt goes long way in affecting game outcome for Chiefs from Chiefs Digest

Watt has carte blanche to line up wherever he feels he can exploit a weakness, all while playing within the defensive scheme.

"He does get free reign to hit any gap basically he wants to no matter what the blitz is, what kind of defense they're in," Stephenson said. "You kind of just got to play with your hands up, feet underneath and great technique.'

While Watt is more than capable of taking over a game, he isn't the only player the Texans will throw at the Chiefs front five.

"Everybody knows J.J. Watt, (defensive tackle) Vince (Wilfork), (outside linebacker Jadeveon) Clowney is expected to play some - they have pretty good (linebackers)," Grubbs said. "It's going to be a huge challenge.

[pauses to put the slab of ribs on to cook]

In Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the Chiefs have the NFL's most interesting man from KC Star

He has sailed the East Coast in a boat crafted by his family and spent a day during the NFL Draft caring for prematurely born twins as a third-year medical student.

Appearing in his first NFL game on Sunday may be the least interesting thing Laurent Duvernay-Tardif has done in recent years. But it will shine a spotlight on one of professional football's most fascinating players.

"Larry," as he's commonly known, is set to start at right guard for the Chiefs in Sunday's season-opener against the Texans in Houston — two years after finishing his college career at McGill University in Montreal.

Athletes from the best of the major college football programs don't often advance as quickly as Duvernay-Tardif, but here he is, a 24-year-old native of Quebec about to take his place for what many believe is a playoff contending team.

Charles rents charter buses for fans, Titans from The Port Arthur News

Charles, the all-time Port Arthur rushing leader with 4,069 yards, did many No. 25 fans a favor and rented two charter buses to take them to the game. The seats, bought by the fans themselves, are reportedly located in the upper level, so if you are headed to the game, look up and find the group.

Chiefs Fans Optimism About to Get Real from Warpaint Illustrated

For a team that hasn't won a playoff game since Miley Cyrus was a 1-year-old flashing other toddlers, Kansas City Chiefs fans sure are ... cheerful.

And here's the wacky part: It's been scientifically proven, apparently. That is, if you want to consider Facebook "scientific."

The social networking giant recently released the results of a study that attempted to interpret relative fan hopefulness. It's all based on posts and comments from users identifying themselves as fans of said team featured on the site during the preseason.

Least optimistic base: The San Diego Chargers.

The most: Chiefs.

John McClain's guide to Texans vs. Chiefs from The Houston Chronicle

Texans defense has to contain Jamaal Charles

The Port Arthur native who played at the University of Texas enters his eighth season as the Chiefs' most dangerous weapon. He's looking for his sixth 1,000-yard season. Not many backs have his breakaway ability. Last season, Charles averaged 5 yards a carry for the seventh time in his career. His career average is 5.5. He's also an excellent receiver who seldom is covered by a linebacker. The Texans have to bottle up Charles in the backfield and not let him get outside.

Sunday NFL preview: Looking ahead to debuts, returns from ESPN

One teammate called Jadeveon Clowney a "monster" and another called him an "animal." Tales of how explosive he has looked in practice are plentiful. Now the Texans can't wait to see that translate to a big 2015 debut for the outside linebacker. -- Tania Ganguli...

...Getting big pass plays will be an offensive focus against the Texans. The Chiefs were last in the league in pass plays of 25 yards or more last season. The average distance of an Alex Smith pass was just 5.6 yards down the field, the worst for a quarterback since the stat was first tracked in 2006. -- Adam Teicher

Houston's Watt ready to get going against Chiefs from The Associated Press via The Columbia Daily Tribune

Watt was second in the NFL with 20½ sacks in 2014 to become the first player with two seasons with 20-plus sacks. He headlines a group of several star pass-rushers in this game, which includes Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston, who led the league with 22 sacks last season. The Chiefs also have Tamba Hali, who has 79½ sacks in nine seasons with the Chiefs.

"People who like pass-rushing, they'll enjoy the game," Houston defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said.

Key injury updates for fantasy football Week 1 from ESPN

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs, ankle, (P): Kelce rolled his ankle in practice two weeks ago but it never appeared to be a significant issue. Coach Andy Reid indicated if it were the regular season, Kelce could have played in that week's game. He has been a full participant in practice this week and is expected to play.

Team-by-team look at the AFC from The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Outlook • After going from 2-14 to 11-5 the Chiefs fell off a bit and missed the playoffs in 2014. It was a strange season for KC, which beat New England and Seattle but also dropped games to Oakland and Tennessee. Look for a bounce back and a return to the playoffs in 2015.

St. Johns County trio ready to kick off NFL season from The St. Augustine Record

"I've never experienced an offseason like this," Santos said. "We get three months to relax and do what we do with no school commitments. I took a month off and went to Brazil and see my family and people I haven't seen in a long time. I got out of the cold winter in Kansas City.

"As soon as the season was over I knew I needed to focus on my strength. I hit the weights hard. ... When I came back from Brazil, I spent a good amount of time in St. Augustine. I went and trained with my kicking coach, Dan Lundy, who I've trained with since I was at St. Joe. It was good to talk to him and see what I can improve with my swing."

Are the Denver Broncos vulnerable in the AFC West? from The Denver Post

The only game Manning has lost in the AFC West as quarterback of the Broncos was on four days of rest, when he dropped a Thursday night game against San Diego late in the 2013 season. Guess what: The Broncos open this season with two games in the span of five days, and Thursday night, Arrowhead Stadium will be a sea of rambunctious red. If the Chiefs beat Denver, the AFC West might not be won until the Broncos play San Diego in the winter chill of January.

Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 1: Alfred Blue from SB Nation

Although Blue's matchup gets a boost for Week 1 versus a Kansas City Chiefs defense that may not have Dontari Poe at 100 percent, fantasy owners hopefully have better options at hand to begin the season.

Blue's woeful history of inefficiency should not instill much confidence in his fantasy owners, and should be treated as a touchdown-dependent flex option in standard formats.

Betting the NFL: Plenty of live underdogs in Week 1 from The New Haven Register

Kansas City at Houston (-1): Facing a tough Chiefs defense without the injured Arian Foster does not bode well for the Texans. Nowak's pick: Chiefs 24-10.

NFL PREVIEW: Rookie quarterbacks to meet in NFL debuts from The Indiana Gazette

Kansas City at Houston: So what can J.J. Watt do for an encore? The unanimous choice for Defensive Player of the Year was unblockable in 2014, and if No. 1 overall draftee from that year, LB Jadeveon Clowney, is healthy, Houston could test anyone.

Still, the Texans have questions at QB — Brian Hoyer or Ryan Mallett — and at running back with Arian Foster (groin) unavailable.

If the Chiefs can avoid the infirmary, they should push Denver in the AFC West. Linebacker Justin Houston anchors a superb group, and safety Eric Berry is back after battling lymphoma. QB Alex Smith has a true deep threat in WR Jeremy Maclin one season after no KC wideout caught a TD pass.

Duvernay-Tardif on the starting line from ICI Radio Canada [translated from the original French]

Duvernay-Tardif acknowledged that there is a great difference between his first two appearances at the Chiefs' camp.

"I think this is the day and night. I remember last year all the technical aspects that I should remember. I think my training went well throughout the season and I am now a much better football player than the same period a year ago, "he said.