The Green Bay Packers are coming off of a horrible loss to the Arizona Cardinals and will try to pick up the pieces in hosting the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Lamebeau Field.

Mike McCarthy was let go shortly after the Arizona game and Joe Philbin will make his debut as Packers interim head coach.

Let's look more closely at the Packers and Falcons match up.

The Past

The Packers lead the all-time series 17-16, dating back to 1966 but it's the more recent history that seems most prominent.

Following the 2002 season, the Packers lost their first ever playoff game at Lambeau Field to Atlanta, led by quarterback Michael Vick.  The Packers had beaten the Falcons earlier that season, on opening day and in overtime.

In 2010, the Packers were pushing to stay in the playoff hunt and visited Atlanta late in the regular season.  They lost a close game but returned just a few weeks later in the divisional round of the playoffs.

After a fast start by Atlanta, the Packers charged back and put up one of their best postseason showings ever in sending the top-seeded Falcons home.  Green Bay, of course, went on to win Super Bowl XLV that season.

Green Bay dominated the series for a few more years until 2016.  With a depleted receiver corps, the Packers came up just short to Atlanta during the regular season.  They ended up back in the Georgia Dome for its final game, the 2016 NFC Championship game.

Once again facing many injuries, the Packers ran out of steam and were sent home.  That was the last playoff game the Packers have appeared in.

In week two of the 2017 season, the Packers helped the Falcons open their new home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium.  It was the second straight year the Packers played the first game in a new stadium and also the second straight year they went home losers. (U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in 2016).

The Present

The Packers are now trying to navigate the last month of the season while searching for their next head coach.  Assistant head coach Winston Moss was also let go earlier this week in a move that could signal more changes to come.

Green Bay fell to 4-7-1 but still manage to be favored this week by 5.5 points. One would have thought Vegas would learn.

Part of the reason for that spread may be Atlanta's recent struggles.  They have lost four straight and now sit at 4-8.  Atlanta has dealt with several key losses due to injury, including running back Devonta Freeman, Keanu Neal and both starting offensive guards.

Typically in a game like this in early December, the story centers around two great quarterbacks leading their teams against one another.  This season, it's what is left of Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan as both have struggled in forgettable years.

Here is where I usually talk a bit about where teach team is ranked on offense and defense but that really doesn't seem to matter with the Packers this year.  They seem destined to bust through every trend possible, and typically not in the positive direction.

Whatever Atlanta does well, they will still do well against the Packers.   Whatever Atlanta doesn't do well, they will suddenly do well against the Packers.  Whatever the most obvious thing is to key on with Atlanta, the Packers will somehow fail to account for.

Sprinkle in some head shaking mistakes, probably mostly on special teams because Ron Zook is still the coordinator.

Sounds really negative, doesn't it?  Yep, that's where we're at with these Packers.  I don't expect Philbin's presence or approach to make much difference in how the Packers play.

The Future

That's not to say that the Packers can't win this game.  It's still one they should get.  But at this point, I trust this team about as much as I do a three year old behind the wheel of a car.

The big question is whether Green Bay has any fight left in them and starts showing up in an effort to move forward.  Or will they send a cold and frozen Lambeau Field crowd home, once again disappointed?

Prior to last week, the Packers had not lost at home.  Atlanta has won only one road game this season.

I expect 60 minutes of subpar football that likely ends mercifully and hopefully with the Packers ahead.  

They can do what they must in New York and Chicago, but I hope they give the home fans some last bits of cheer before they pack it up in 2018.