GREEN BAY PACKERS

Notes: Michael praised for alert end-zone play

Michael Cohen

Christine Michael bobbles a kickoff during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 15.

Green Bay — When Green Bay Packers running back Christine Michael muffed a kickoff Sunday, his 6-yard return flipped the field position and allowed the Dallas Cowboys to pick up a field goal shortly before halftime.

Though Michael erred by failing to make a clean catch, special teams coordinator Ron Zook said he is not worried about ball security issues with Michael, who also muffed another kickoff earlier this year.

In fact, Zook praised Michael for alertly bringing the ball out of the end zone after the bobble.

“If he goes back in the end zone and he gets tackled, it’s a safety,” Zook said. “So obviously you don’t want to be in the situation — first catch the ball, that’s No. 1.

“But he wasn’t sure. … People were saying that he should have stayed in, he should have stayed in. And as you watch it on tape, I think he did the right thing. … When in doubt, it’s probably smart to come out, to take it out.”

Long range: Kicker Mason Crosby sent the Packers to the NFC Championship Game with two field goals of 50 or more yards in the closing minutes against Dallas.

His 56-yarder with 1 minute 38 seconds remaining was the third-longest field goal in NFL playoff history.

But just how much deeper could Crosby have gone? Conditions were perfect inside AT&T Stadium.

“It wasn’t a concern about having enough leg or anything like that,” Zook said. “He kicked a couple 60-yarders in pregame and felt pretty good about it.”

Rib-eye: If receiver Jordy Nelson takes the field Sunday against the Falcons in Atlanta to play through broken ribs, he might seek advice from one of his teammates first.

Tight end Jared Cook, whose role becomes crucial if Nelson is ruled out, said he played through cracked ribs each of the last two seasons with the then-St. Louis Rams.

“You just suck it up and go,” Cook said. “I mean, I couldn’t imagine playing with broken ones. I couldn’t imagine what Jordy is going through right now. It’s tough though. But you have to do what you have to do, life goes on. No sympathy, right?”

McGINN: Packers' GM picture remains unchanged

X's and O's: Inside the Falcons playbook

Nelson could also seek counsel from offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett, who dealt with his own rib problems during his career as a running back.

“Some cartilage issues, but not broken,” Bennett said. “It’s always difficult, but this is why you play the game, to put yourself in this type of position, to compete for the world championship and I think when you look at it from that standpoint, you’re going to do everything possible to be a part of that and to play.”

Switcheroo: When quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks was downed for a safety last week by the Falcons, he may have been surprised to see the player tagging him for the sack: offensive lineman Ben Garland.

That’s right, an offensive lineman plays defense for the Falcons in certain situations.

Garland played along the defensive line in college at Air Force and had 115 tackles, 11.5 sacks and three forced fumbles from 2006-’09. He signed with the Falcons as an undrafted free agent and quickly converted to a center and guard.

But Garland returns to his defensive roots in certain goal line and short-yardage situations to aid in stopping the run. He played 42 offensive snaps and 42 defensive snaps during the regular season, according to Football Outsiders. He played nine defensive snaps last week against Seattle.

Would the Packers’ offensive linemen be interested in a chance to play defense? Right guard T.J. Lang got the chance to do so earlier in his career as an emergency option in short-yardage situations.

But what about the others?

Left tackle Jason Spriggs: “Any time an O-lineman gets to play anything but O-line it’s fun, like tight end or whatever we can do that’s not O-line. Receivers can block and catch, running backs get to block, catch, run. We just get to block. If you can do anything else it would probably be pretty fun.”

Center Corey Linsley: “Oh definitely, that would be pretty cool. I wouldn’t want to take any of our guys out, but he does a good job in there for playing both positions. That would be fun.”

Guard/center Don Barclay: “I think you have to have some history behind it, whether you played the position before or what. I give him a lot of credit. Playing both sides of the ball in the NFL, that’s wanting to play multiple positions and playing both sides. That’s pretty good. I mean, I guess it would be fun, especially if you played it before. Obviously it looks like he’s played the position before so he understands and knows different concepts and techniques.”

Injury report: Safety Morgan Burnett missed practice for the second consecutive day with a quadricep injury suffered against the Cowboys.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said before practice Burnett would take a step forward in his work with the rehab group. If Burnett is unable to play, rookie Kentrell Brice will take his spot alongside Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

“Guys have been banged up since the first game of the season so guys are ready to step up,” cornerback Damarious Randall said of playing without Burnett. “By now, guys are ready to play.”

Running back James Starks (concussion) and center JC Tretter (knee) did not practice either.

Guard T.J. Lang (foot) and cornerback Quinten Rollins (neck/concussion) were limited participants. However, Rollins appeared to be practicing at full speed during the portion open to the media.

For the Falcons, wide receiver Julio Jones (toe) did not practice. He is following the plan outlined by coach Dan Quinn to spend most of the week resting.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (shoulder) and receiver Taylor Gabriel (foot) were limited.