By BRIAN DULIK

Staff Writer

BEREA — For the first time this season, the Browns will take on a team with a worse record than they have. But they might have to do it without one of their best players.

Tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. suffered a sprained right shoulder in Buffalo, putting his status in doubt for Cleveland’s home game Sunday against Houston.

“I don’t think it’s worse than the (left) shoulder injury he had last year, I think it’s sore,” coach Romeo Crennel said. “Once his strength and movement is OK, then he’ll be able to play, but we’ll have to see how that goes. The main issue is his strength and his range of motion.”

Winslow has already sat out two games this year; the Giants on Oct. 13 when he was hospitalized with a staph infection and the Jaguars on Oct. 26 when he was suspended, then reinstated and declared a game-day inactive.

Even with those absences, “K2” leads the Browns in receptions with 39 and is tied for first on the squad with three touchdown catches. He declined to discuss his status Wednesday, but wide receiver Braylon Edwards was happy to talk about what Winslow means to the offense.

“Every week, (offensive coordinator Rob) Chudzinski puts in a game plan involving No. 80 and No. 17, trying to get the two of us the ball as much as possible,” said Edwards, the aforementioned No. 17. “Some games, defenses try to take away Kellen, other games they try to stop me.

“The thing is, it’s very hard to stop both of us at the same time, which is why one of us almost always has a big week.”

Winslow’s 4.9 catches per game rank third among NFL tight ends, while his 13 third-down grabs sit fifth. He needs 26 receptions in Cleveland’s six remaining games to become the first Browns player with three consecutive 65-catch seasons.

 INJURY UPDATE: Winslow was one of nine Browns who did not practice. Running backs Jerome Harrison (hamstring) and Jason Wright (neck), fullback Lawrence Vickers (ankle), safety Sean Jones (ankle), nose tackle Shaun Rogers (neck) and defensive ends Shaun Smith (calf) and Corey Williams (left shoulder) sat out with injuries, while linebacker Willie McGinest was given the day off. Crennel said Harrison and Vickers most concerned him, which is why he could give return specialist Joshua Cribbs some time in the backfield. “We might expand his package that he knows and that we’ve been working on,” the coach said. “Josh is a tough kid and he tries very hard at all times. Whatever we ask him to do, he does.” … For the Texans, quarterback Matt Schaub (knee), defensive tackle Travis Johnson (knee) and guard Chester Pitts (calf) were sidelined.

 MBA: Tight end Darnell Dinkins and Cribbs are the co-owners of “Bounce City,” a 13,000-square foot indoor playground that has its grand opening Saturday in Strongsville. The facility boasts 13 inflatable attractions, an obstacle course and a large arcade. “My wife would always take our kids to similar places, so we said, ‘Why don’t we open our own and make it bigger and better?’” Dinkins said. “As with any business, location is key, and the demographics look great for ours.” NFLPA union rep Dinkins is perhaps the shrewdest businessman on the Browns, previously making real estate investments and starting a mortgage company. “I was going to open a place like this in (my native) Pittsburgh, but Josh is really interested in trying to build a life after football, so it made sense for us to do it here,” he said. For more information, visit bouncecitycleveland.com.

 TEXANS TOAST: Houston coach Gary Kubiak said Schaub is expected to miss another four weeks, paving the way for Sage Rosenfels to make his fourth start of the season. Rosenfels last played at Cleveland Browns Stadium three years ago while a member of the Dolphins. “I feel we have two great quarterbacks,” said Andre Johnson, who leads the NFL with 955 receiving yards. “Unfortunately Matt is out right now, but Sage, when he comes in, he picks things right up.”

 DOLLARS AND SENSE: The Browns are down to two stadium gate sponsorships (Cleveland Clinic Sports Health and National City Bank), but both expire at the end of the season, according to Sports Business Journal. … Quarterback Brady Quinn received $1.06 million in royalty payments from the NFLPA in 2007. The six players who earned more for merchandise and memorabilia sales than Quinn were Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning ($2.45 million), New Orleans’ Reggie Bush ($1.80 million), San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson ($1.49 million), the New York Giants’ Eli Manning ($1.31 million), Dallas’ Tony Romo ($1.07 million) and Chicago’s Brian Urlacher ($1.06 million).

 EXTRA POINTS: Quinn’s 79.8 passer rating would rank 21st in the league and tops in the AFC North Division if he had the required number of attempts. Derek Anderson is 31st at 68.9, while Tampa Bay’s Brian Griese (64.6) and Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck (55.0) bring up the rear. … The Browns/Titans game in Week 14 is one of four being considered for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. … … Harrison’s 72-yard touchdown at Buffalo was the eighth-longest run in Browns history. … Houston is 0-5 on the road and has never won in Cleveland. … The Texans’ roster includes ex-Browns wide receiver Andre Davis and linebackers Kevin Bentley and Chaun Thompson.

Dulik may be reached at brisports@hotmail.com or 330-721-4059.