CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns visit the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Both teams’ seasons, from a win-loss standpoint, have gone about as expected. The Browns are 3-4 and the Texans are 5-3. Cleveland is last in the AFC North and Houston is first in the AFC South, just ahead of the Tennessee Titans (4-3).

A key storyline for the Browns as the game approaches is their injury-riddled situation at running back, as reported by The Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot on Monday. Plain Dealer and cleveland.com Browns coverage will continue to update the situation.

The Browns’ game results this season, in order: 27-17 loss vs. Cincinnati; 27-19 win at Indianapolis; 17-16 win vs. Miami; 31-13 loss vs. Tennessee; 24-17 loss at Oakland; 6-3 win vs. Seattle; 20-10 loss at San Francisco.

The Texans’ results: 34-7 win vs. Indianapolis; 23-13 win at Miami; 40-33 loss at New Orleans; 17-10 win vs. Pittsburgh; 25-20 loss vs. Oakland; 29-14 loss at Baltimore; 41-7 win at Tennessee; 24-14 win vs. Jacksonville.

The teams have a short history, of course, with Houston becoming an NFL franchise in 2002. The teams have split six games against each other. The Browns are 2-1 in games at Browns Stadium and 1-2 at Houston.

The Browns and Texans last met on Nov. 23, 2008 in Cleveland. The Texans won, 16-6, making both teams 4-7. Cleveland.com’s Browns History Database includes Plain Dealer game stories on every regular season and playoff game in Browns history, through the 2010 season. Tony Grossi wrote the game story on Houston’s win over the Browns.

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans: Who will win and by how much?

The Cleveland Browns will really need Peyton Hillis(notes) to stay healthy for the rest of the 2011 season. Hillis has had his season marred by contract issues and injuries. The star running back has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. Cleveland has been able to rely on Montario Hardesty(notes) to fill in for him but that changed on October 30 against the San Francisco 49ers. Hardesty tore his calf muscle and will miss several games for the Browns. That leaves the team with serious depth issues at the running back position.

Hardesty is no stranger to missing time. He suffered a knee injury that spoiled his 2010 season. Now his 2011 season is in serious jeopardy. He likely won’t need surgery but the torn muscle will take time to repair. For now, the Browns are only saying that he will miss some time. But after the team has more time to evaluate everything, I wouldn’t be surprised if they say he can’t return in 2011. Even if he can return, there will be questions about how effective he will be. A torn muscle in the legs is not a good injury for any player, especially a running back.

Hardesty only had two carries against the 49ers but had 33 in the previous game against the Seattle Seahawks. Clearly, Cleveland is a team that likes to run the football. Unfortunately, their top running threat has been banged up with a hamstring injury. Hillis has practice since his injury but it hasn’t gone well for him. It will likely be touch and go for Hillis as far as his ability to play in the next game. He will probably try to practice and that is a good sign. However, if he isn’t 100 percent then the Browns will sit him for the upcoming game against the Houston Texans. That would make Chris Ogbannaya the top running back unless Cleveland signs someone else.

The running back injuries are bad news for a team that likes to run the ball first. Ogbannaya is not going to scare any team, especially the Texans. Cleveland has to hope that Hillis can make a return and play well in that game. If they sense that he might not be able to go, Cleveland will have no choice but to sign another running back. The Browns aren’t a terrible football team. However, the 2011 season is already feeling lost because of the injuries.

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Welcome to today’s Halloween edition of SBTV, hosted by the frightening Chuck Yarborough, with Dennis “Boris” Manoloff as the special guest. Today, Dman talks Cleveland Browns football in light of Sunday’s 20-10 trick that was no treat for Cleveland fans who watched the San Francisco 49ers manhandle them on the West Coast.

Patient and loyal Browns fans have been waiting since 1964 for a winner. Shoot, they didn’t quit loving the Browns even when they didn’t even HAVE the Browns, after Art Modell absconded with the team to Baltimore, and they’re not about to give up yet, at least according to today’s Starting Blocks poll, asking whether it’s time to raise the white flag.

So says Dman. But he also says that the team hasn’t made it easy. Part of the problem is quarterback Colt McCoy. He doesn’t look comfortable back there. But it’s not all on McCoy, in his first (and maybe only?) year as the team’s starting quarterback. Dman acknowledged that it’s tough to criticize a line anchored by perennial Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and Pro Bowl-caliber center Alex Mack. But that didn’t really stop him. The line has been porous at best, giving McCoy little or no time in the pocket, and there’s not a playmaker in the receiving corps.

That, plus injuries to running backs Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty, has made life less than fun for new coach Pat Shurmur, who’s got to feel like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin.

Tune in to SBTV tomorrow when Browns writer Mary Kay Cabot adds even more ghoulish analysis.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns running back Montario Hardesty “will miss games” with a moderate tear in his right calf, coach Pat Shurmur said.

Shurmur said he’s not sure how many games Hardesty will miss, “but it’s going to take some time to heal.”

He said running back Peyton Hillis is still being evaluated day to day with a pulled hamstring and that the Browns will try out running backs Tuesday.

He said “there are no excuses” even though the team has been without Hillis, Hardesty and Brandon Jackson (toe) for all or parts of the season.

The Browns are currently down to Chris Ogbonnaya, who was signed off the Texans practice squad Oct. 18. Shurmur said if Ogbonnaya had been hurt, fullback Owen Marecic would’ve been the lone tailback.

The Browns also have running back Armond Smith on the practice squad. Shurmur said Josh Cribbs can do a lot of things, including playing in the backfield.