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Duke Dawson Jersey , Panthers ahead of preseason Week 3 The roster connections are a one-way street heading into Friday night’s preseason meeting at Bank of America Stadium.The likes of running back Tyler Gaffney, wideout Brandon LaFell and cornerback Robert McClain are long since elsewhere, and not one ex-Carolina Panther resides on the New England Patriots’ current roster.But when looking through the list of 90 in Carolina’s fold, there are some familiar names.They range from a former Patriots draft pick, to a 25-game starter at defensive tackle, to past members of the practice squad whose stays in Foxborough spanned from three days to six months.And here’s a glance leading up to the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.CAROLINAGarrett Gilbert, quarterback – The 2009 Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year was taken in the sixth round of the 2014 draft by the then-St. Louis Rams. But by December of his rookie season, Gilbert had signed to New England’s practice squad, where he’d remain to earn a Super Bowl XLIX ring. The Texas and Southern Methodist product was waived in June 2015 as the corresponding move to the Patriots adding Matt Flynn. After stops with the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders, Gilbert joined the Panthers in March 2017 and spent the year between Carolina’s practice squad and active roster.Taylor Heinicke, quarterback – Heinicke, who amassed a Division I-record 730 passing yards against the University of New Hampshire back in 2012 and finished his Old Dominion career with 154 total touchdowns, went undrafted in 2015. The Monarch would spent parts of the next three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and signed onto the Patriots’ practice squad in September 2017. The Patriots, however Authentic James Harrison Jersey , released Heinicke, along with offensive lineman Jason King, two weeks later. The Panthers claimed Heinicke off waivers from the Houston Texans in April.Blaine Clausell, offensive tackle – The offensive tackle by way of Mississippi State and the Baltimore Ravens landed on New England’s initial practice squad of the 2015 season. And Clausell, an undrafted rookie at the time, stayed on the scout team until that November. Clausell rejoined the Ravens a day after his Patriots release, and he would later land on the the Washington Redskins’ active roster. He’s been part of five transactions in the Carolina organization since agreeing to terms in December 2016. Clausell was promoted to the Panthers’ 53 in January.Kyle Love, defensive tackle – A member of New England’s undrafted class of 2010, Love would go on to appear in 41 games across three seasons with the Patriots. He started 25 to accrue 65 tackles and 5.5 sacks. And while surprise release in May 2013 – a move that transpired not long after the Mississippi State grad was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes – Love has since found longevity in Carolina. His third team since leaving New England, the 31-year-old has played 41 games with the Panthers over the past three seasons, posting 51 tackles, eight sacks and a forced fumble.Zach Moore, defensive end – In May 2014, the Patriots made Moore the first-ever NFL draft pick in Concordia-St. Paul history. The two-time Division II All-American and first combine invite in Golden Bears history Limited Andre Tippett Jersey , as well, Moore would play 96 snaps in eight games for the Patriots. The defensive end closed his rookie season three tackles, a half-sack and a forced fumble – plus a ring. New England would waive Moore after the 2015 preseason, and he’s been with four teams since then. The Panthers claimed the former sixth-rounder off waivers in May 2017. Moore resided between Carolina’s practice squad and 53-man roster last campaign.Alex Carter, cornerback – As the aforementioned Heinicke exited from the Patriots’ practice squad last October, Carter entered. But the No. 80 overall pick in the 2015 draft would be released by New England three days after signing. Carter has also had two cups of coffeee with the Seattle Seahawks and one with the Chicago Bears over the past year. The 23-year-old via Stanford signed with the Panthers this past week. 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 Irving Fryar Jersey Salute to Service , 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," 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 John Hannah Jersey , 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 , 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.AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Flowery Branch, Georgia, contributed.