Chiefs vs. Texans 2015 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch online

Sadly, when the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Houston Texans for the season opener Sunday afternoon, the Chiefs won't be wearing their 1960 AFL throwback jerseys, which would give us a matchup of the Texans and Dallas Texans.

Instead, it will be a game more focused on how the Texans will survive without Arian Foster and with a question mark at quarterback in Brian Hoyer.

Tamba Hali presents another threat on the other end of the line, and he had 2.5 sacks when Kansas City beat Houston, 17-16, in 2013. Hoyer will be protected by a pretty good pair of offensive tackles in Duane Brown and Derek Newton, but if Houston is in the same form as he finished last season, keeping him from getting multiple sacks would be a victory.

Of course, the Texans also have a guy who can rush the passer a bit in J.J. Watt. He finished second to Houston with 20.5 sacks, but also filled out the stat sheet with a safety, a fumble return for a touchdown, a interception return for a touchdown and, in his spare time, three touchdown receptions. With Vince Wilfork providing a wall inside, the Texans need Jadeveon Clowney to start playing at a level near what he showed in college. If he does, it could be a long day for Alex Smith.

Smith will get some help from Jamaal Charles, who is entering his eighth season in the Kansas City backfield. Charles has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in five of the last six seasons, with the only exception being 2011, when he lost most of the year to a torn ACL. He's averaged at least 5 yards a carry every year, and is also a weapon out of the backfield. He hit his prime in 2013 with 1,980 yards from scrimmage, but fell well short of that number last season due to a high ankle sprain.

Unfortunately for Hoyer, he doesn't have that kind of help. Foster is going to miss a large chunk of the season after August groin surgery, and his replacements averaged 2.8 yards a carry in the preseason. Alfred Blue is expected to get the bulk of the carries, with Chris Polk as a third-down back, and given the Chiefs' pass rush, one or both of them is going to have to be productive. Kansas City's biggest defensive weakness is stopping the run -- it was 28th in the league in 2014 -- and Houston has to exploit that if it expects to slow down Justin Houston and Hali.