What happened: Carolina ruled out outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips on Wednesday ahead of Thursday night's road game against Green Bay, per Adam Schefter. Phillips was listed as a non-participant on Monday's practice estimate after being inactive against the Buccaneers in Week 7 while the team treated his hamstring.

Why it matters: The short-week turnaround keeps a key edge defender off the field as the NFC's fourth and seventh seeds meet with early conference positioning on the line. Both clubs enter Thursday night looking to snap a one-game skid following Week 7 losses.

What to watch: The Panthers kick off against the Packers in Green Bay on Thursday night before taking a mini-bye to reassess Phillips ahead of Week 9.