GREEN BAY http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-deshone-kizer-jersey , Wis. (AP) — How fortunes have changed in less than two years for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers.The participants in the NFC title game in January 2017 are floundering this season. The Packers have already fired head coach Mike McCarthy.Falcons owner Arthur Blank reaffirmed support for his coach, Dan Quinn, after a four-game losing streak dropped the team out of the playoff picture.The game between the Falcons (4-8) and Packers (4-7-1) on Sunday at Lambeau Field was once circled on the NFL calendar as a potential matchup between contenders jockeying for a home game in the playoffs.Instead, it’s turned into a matchup between disappointing teams each trying to avoid a losing season.“I think what you want to do when you go through a difficult stretch is you want to make sure you take the lessons first, and when you do that, there’s something that you have to gain,” Quinn said. “Sometimes you don’t like to admit it, but that’s where the learning takes place the most.”It sounds a lot like what the Packers are going through at Lambeau, where the future is clouded by uncertainty.Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin took over as interim head coach after McCarthy was fired following the stunning 20-17 loss last week to the lowly Arizona Cardinals.A coaching veteran with a dry sense of humor, Philbin has delivered simple messages at a time of upheaval.“I told the offense, we’ve got to block, we’ve got to throw and catch, we’ve got to run hard with the ball. That’s really ultimately what wins games http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-lane-taylor-jersey ,” Philbin said. “Schemes are important, but not as important as playing guys together and playing with great effort and playing fundamentally sound. That’s really the focus.”The Packers have lost three straight and five of six. They need lots of help to get into the postseason even if they can somehow win their last four games.“I think everybody’s kind of realizing that we’re all under the microscope even more. Who knows what the changes are going to be after the season,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “So I feel like the energy was good today. Unfortunately the urgency that you need early in the season, we kind of had out in practice today.”Other notes and things to watch:RODGERS RECORD WATCHAt least the game could be worth watching for the quarterback play. Rodgers’ 61.8 percent completion rate this year is his lowest since 2015 (60.7 percent), though he has thrown just one interception all season. Rodgers has thrown a franchise-record 336 attempts without an interception, trailing only New England’s Tom Brady (358 in 2010-11) for longest such stretch in league history.THIRD-QUARTER BLUESOne of the Falcons’ goals for the week is to jump-start their abysmal third-quarter scoring. Atlanta has been outscored 71-34 in third quarters, including 6-0 in last week’s 26-16 loss to Baltimore. The Falcons ran only five plays and held the ball less than two minutes in the quarter. By contrast, the Falcons’ 115 second-quarter points and 107 fourth-quarter points rank among the top five in the league.CALLING PLAYSPhilbin, the former Dolphins head coach in his second stint as a Packers assistant, has extensive experience coaching and putting together offensive game plans. But the previous time that Philbin called plays was when he was a college assistant at Northeastern in 1995-96. He’ll assume those duties again on Sunday since McCarthy was the play-caller in Green Bay. Of course, the Packers also have a veteran at quarterback in Rodgers who is often at his best out of the pocket when a play breaks down.WELCOME BACKThe Falcons have lost eight players to injured reserve this season, including long snapper Josh Harris this week. They finally had a key starter return from IR last week when linebacker Deion Jones set a career high with 15 tackles and a sack against the Ravens. Jones missed 10 games after suffering a broken right foot in the opener against Philadelphia. Jones’ 15 tackles were the most by a Falcons player this season.RUN TIMEThe Falcons have the NFL’s worst rushing attack, averaging just 79 yards a game. They were held to 34 on the ground last week against Baltimore Vince Biegel Jersey , a week after a season-low 26 against the Saints.“When we’re at our best, we’re running the football and we’re able to create play-action passes,” quarterback Matt Ryan said.This might be the week they get things going. Green Bay allowed a season-high 182 yards on the ground to the Cardinals last week, who have the league’s second-worst rushing offense. The Packers’ free agent acquisitions were all in the lineup on the first reps of the team’s first open practice." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteAcme Packing Companya Green Bay Packers communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsPackersOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections The APC PodcastPackers Film RoomFantasy Football AdviceCDTShareTweetShareSharePackers OTA Notebook, 5/21: Turner takes first reps at RG, MVS leads young WR groupVincent Carchietta-USA TODAY SportsOn Tuesday, the Green Bay Packers donned shorts and helmets for their second Organized Team Activities practice and their first practice in public in 2019. While there are few, if any, conclusions that should be drawn based on the success of any player or unit in drills, what will be notable are the alignments and repetitions given to certain players.Specifically, the lineup that receives the very first rep on both sides of the football is worth examining, as it gives an indication as to how the coaching staff sees the starting lineup shaking out. Here are some of the takeaways from today’s practice.AbsencesFirst up are the players absent or not practicing. Three players were not in attendance on Tuesday: safety Josh Jones (whose absence and displeasure was reported Tuesday morning) along with tight end Marcedes Lewis and rookie edge rusher Greg Roberts. There is no explanation known as yet regarding the latter two players’ absence. There were also three players who were not participating in practice, but who were in attendance http://www.packerslockerroom.com/authentic-paul-hornung-jersey , two of whom are starters. Wide receiver Davante Adams and defensive tackle Mike Daniels joined running back Tra Carson in the non-practicing group.OffensePerhaps the biggest question mark on the entire offense this season will be the right guard position. With Billy Turner coming over from Denver in free agency and Elgton Jenkins arriving via a second-round draft pick, the Packers have options at that spot. However, it was Turner who took the first rep in that position, lining up between Corey Linsley and Bryan Bulaga. Meanwhile, with Adams out it is instructive to see which of the team’s young receivers would get the first run with the starters. It should surprise nobody that Geronimo Allison was one of the two wideouts on the field with the team in 21 personnel (two running backs and one tight end). However, Marquez Valdes-Scantling was the other, signifying that he still holds a lead over Jake Kumerow and fellow second-year pros Equanimeous St. Brown and J’Mon Moore for the third spot at the time being.DefenseA complete reload at the safety position and comments from general manager Brian Gutekunst on the subject have suggested that Tramon Williams will be headed back to cornerback from safety this season. However, that transition appears to be complete, rather than just a move back to a more versatile slot corner alignment. Indeed, Williams joined Jaire Alexander as the two starters on the boundary as the Packers’ defense opened up in a base 3-4 alignment. Joining them were the two new safety additions, Adrian Amos and rookie Darnell Savage, Jr.One particular reason for some optimism on Tuesday was the fact that oft-injured cornerback Kevin King was participating fully in practice. For now, it appears that the team is preparing for him to be their third corner behind Williams and Alexander Womens Dave Robinson Jersey , but a full offseason workload can only help him as he tries to maintain good health throughout the 2019 season.On the front seven, there were two interesting items to note. First is the fact that with Daniels sitting out, the Packers elected to move Kenny Clark off the nose to the 3-technique position, with Montravius Adams in the middle and Dean Lowry at his traditional 5-tech spot. Clark has primarily played nose when the Packers stick to a three-man line, so this was a bit of a surprise. Still, the team is likely to line up most frequently with two linemen (in nickel or dime), so this may not be as significant a development as it appears at first.The other notable item up front is that the team lined up with the Smiths as the starters on opposite edges. Za’Darius Smith lined up on the left side opposite Bryan Bulaga on the first play with Preston Smith on the right side.The Packers have a day off from practice on Wednesday but will return to the Don Hutson Center for a closed practice on Thursday, May 23rd. Their next open practice will take place on Wednesday, May 29th.