Houston ? Texans special teams coach Joe Marciano already has a headline ready for when J.J. Moses finally returns a kick for a touchdown.

“Moses Parts the Red Sea,” Marciano said, gesturing as though he were laying out the page himself.

It would be more than appropriate for it to come in the Texans’ home opener today against Kansas City.

For one, the Chiefs wear red. Another is that Moses, who at 5-foot-6 is the shortest player currently on an NFL roster, might not be in the league if not for Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil.

“I thank Coach Vermeil for just giving me the opportunity to come into the league,” said Moses, a free agent who failed to make it out of camp with the Chiefs in the previous two seasons. “He was one of the coaches who believed in me coming out of college. There aren’t any hard feelings — it’s a business — but whenever you’re going up against a team you were once with, of course you want to make good plays.”

Moses’ speed, combined with lightning-fast moves, have made him an exciting addition to the Texans, who are looking to go 2-1 for the first time in their short history. Vermeil’s Chiefs, impressive so far with home victories against San Diego and Pittsburgh, know Moses can be a difference-maker if he breaks loose.

“Knowing that he probably wasn’t going to make our team, we wanted him back (in 2002) so he could make a positive contribution to our work ethic and what we really respect in a football player,” Vermeil said. “Then we’d hopefully help him get a job someplace else, and I’m very, very pleased. We just couldn’t keep him and (Pro Bowl return man) Dante Hall.”

Coach Dom Capers hopes the crowd noise will be in the Texans’ favor as the Chiefs — who were the AFL’s Dallas Texans from 1960 to 1962 — make their first trip into hostile territory.

“We’ve gone on the road to play two home openers where we’ve seen what a factor home fans can be,” Capers said. “We know this: If we go out and do our jobs, there’s no louder stadium than Reliant Stadium … and the fans can certainly be a significant factor in the game this weekend.”

Chiefs star running back Priest Holmes, who has bruised ribs and a sore back, said this week he intends to start.