CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Seven weeks remain in the 2014 NFL regular season. Many teams are looking to make a final push towards the playoffs, and the teams with a former Harvard player are no different.

The Cleveland Browns and defensive end Desmond Bryant '08 sit atop the AFC North standings with a 6-3 record, and are involved in an extremely tight division race where each team is separated by just half a game. In the same division, the Baltimore Ravens sport a 6-4 record, and employ fullback Kyle Juszczyk '13. In the AFC South, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick '05 and the Houston Texans sport a 4-5 record, two games behind Indianapolis in the AFC South.

Bryant is tied for second in sacks on the Browns with 3.0, and has recorded 23 tackles, including two for a loss. In week 10's 24-3 victory over the Bengals, Bryant torched the Cincinnati offensive line for two sacks; and, the Browns' defense, strongly influenced by its pass rush, limited opposing quarterback Andy Dalton to a 4.3 (out of 100) total quarterback rating.

Juszczyk has become a regular option in the Baltimore passing game. The second-year fullback has caught 13 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown on the season, including a three-catch, 26-yard performance in week 10's 21-7 defeat of Tennessee. The three receptions tied a career-high, and Juszczyk has caught a pass in each of the last five games, and seven of the last eight.

Fitzpatrick has been the man in charge of the Texans' offense through nine games, and has passed for 1,960 yards and 11 touchdowns. The former Crimson signal-caller has completed 61.8 percent of his passes and is averaging a career-best 7.7 yards-per-pass. Able to use his legs as well, Fitzpatrick has totaled 143 yards on the ground, including a season-high 49 yards in week nine against Philadelphia.

Fitzpatrick and Bryant will meet this Sunday, Nov. 16, when Houston visits Cleveland, while Juszczyk and the Ravens are idle. Baltimore next takes the field week 12 on Monday night against New Orleans.