Opening day is an emotionally charged day for many players, some more than others. I asked several Texans players for their favorite opening day memories in the NFL, college or even high school.

WR Cecil Shorts III: "College opening day. My redshirt sophomore year, my first time starting at receiver (at Mount Union). Pierre Garcon just got drafted. So I was the next guy stepping up in his role. All summer long I'd been working, working. The whole week of opening day, I'd be walking to class running routes, like walking to class, going through what I've got to go through. I was real ready, but I was real nervous at the same time. We played St. John Fisher at home. Long story short, we kicked their butt, had like over 100 yards, three touchdowns. It was a good first game. We won a championship that year too."

WR Nate Washington: "After my rookie year (with the Steelers), my second year. We had just come off the Super Bowl. It was a Thursday night, we played the Miami Dolphins and it was special because I played a little bit my first year, but I didn't play too much. I only played like three regular-season games, I played in the playoffs. It was my first real game in a starting role. I was the No. 3 in that game and they put a special play in for me. It was a fake screen and I'd run up the right side of the field and we connected on the score and I scored a touchdown. It was my first-ever touchdown, first catch of the season."

LT Duane Brown: "We opened with the Colts, I believe (in 2010). We beat them, ran for a bunch of yards. That was the first game out of the gate at home. We didn't come by wins against them easily. Still haven't. Ran the ball for over 200 yards, came up with a win. That was probably my best opening day memory."

S Quintin Demps: "My first game as an Eagle, I was playing gunner. Back-to-back punts I kept the ball out of the end zone with some fancy (moves). I jumped and hit it backward, did some fancy stuff. It was awesome, especially since it was a home game, the crowd went crazy. I was a young boy just out there having fun and I feel like, I just felt special."

TE Ryan Griffin: "In college (at UConn), we opened the season up in Michigan in The Big House and it was after they did the renovations, so it was like the largest crowd ever to witness a football game. It was 101,000 people. It was wild. We were heavy underdogs. It was a good experience, good way to start the season. I was fired up."

CB Kevin Johnson: "Probably when I started my first game at quarterback in high school, getting up under that center, controlling the offense. That was fun. That was my sophomore year. I did good. We went undefeated. I was like baby Vick. But not really."

S Rahim Moore: "I'd probably have to say the memory that's going to come up this Sunday. That's the best memory that matters to me." (What about a past memory?) "I'd probably have to go back to high school. I was playing against a high school called Narbonne, I was starting varsity my 10th grade year. I was probably 13 or 14 years old so it was big. A lot of my friends were still playing JV. That was a big step I separated myself. They were all out there laughing and wishing me good luck ... all my family was there. You would've thought it was my first NFL game. I did pretty well actually. Very surprising. That was one moment I'll never forget."

C Ben Jones: "I'd say my first preseason game in the NFL. My first snap, I was on kickoff return and Trindon (Holliday) took it to the house on my first play. So my first NFL snap was a touchdown. It was awesome. I was on the wedge. Me and Kasey Studdard were on the wedge, we looked up and Trindon takes it to the house. We checked for flags and then just took off running. It was awesome."