As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Washington Commanders in the wild-card round of the NFL Playoffs, one individual matchup that people will keep an eye on is wide receiver Mike Evans and cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Now that the Commanders star has been taken off the injury report, people are wondering how intense the battle will be between the two since they have a history with each other.
The two stars have been in battles not just with one trying to gain the advantage on the football field, but also physical altercations on multiple occasions. When Evans was asked about the upcoming matchup, he said that he will “look forward” to it and knows when facing Lattimore, he has to be at his “best” according to Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times.
“I’ve just got to be at my best,” Evans said. “I’ve got to give my best because he’s a really good player. Obviously, we’ve had a lot of really good matchups. If he’s playing, I look forward to the matchup.”
Evans' feud with Lattimore has consisted of the Tampa Bay receive being ejected from a game, receiving a two-game suspension, and has resulted in numerous amount of fines. This was when Lattimore was on the NFC South rivals New Orleans Saints, but now is healthy just in time to have a rematch with Evans.
As the Buccanneers receiver recently recorded his 11th straight season of 1,000 yards, he will now try to help star quarterback Baker Mayfield in a quest for a championship.
Buccanneers' Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore preview the matchup
But he will face a talented and physical defensive star in Lattimore as Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles speaks about the impending matchup,
“They’re both great players, and they both like to compete,” Bowles said. “Mike is a pro, and he understands what’s at stake. He understands the game. Nothing really needs to be said about that.”
Speaking of Mayfield who Evans has been his favorite target, also spoke of the upcoming matchup and mentioned how it was “fun to watch it from far away, but now being up close amplifies that feeling.
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“It’s a physical matchup, it’s non-stop. It doesn’t matter what’s at stake,” Mayfield said sometime last year. “Getting to watch it from afar was fun. Now, being in the middle of it is going to be even more fun.”
Lattimore gave his thoughts on the upcoming game and the feud with Evans and made it known that he plans on being very “physical” and that whoever he encounters, “you're going to know I'm there” according to The Athletic.
“I’m going out there to try and help my team. All the other stuff, if it comes, it comes,” Lattimore said after an indoor practice on Friday.
“I want to be physical. I want to be physical with anybody,” Lattimore continued. “The extra level because of the past — it’s not really about the mental game. You’re going to know I’m here.”
There is no doubt that Evans is ready for the challenge.
“We’ve got to be disciplined,” Evans said. “They’re a better team than we played in Week 1, and we’ve got to come disciplined.”
The Buccaneers take on Washington on Sunday night in what will be an exciting contest.
