Marshon Lattimore's time on the field since joining the Washington Commanders has been extremely limited. If this defense wants to thrive in the postseason, they need their best coverage cornerback to make a lasting contribution.
Lattimore hasn't been seen over the final two games of the regular season. He reinjured his hamstring during a titanic battle with Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown. Head coach Dan Quinn stated he was optimistic about his postseason involvement, there was just no need to force the issue with Washington's playoff spot already secure.
The four-time Pro Bowler got some extra urgency regarding his playoff involvement after Washington's opponents were revealed. It's a chance to renew his long-standing rivalry with wide receiver Mike Evans.
Evans and Lattimore are no strangers to one another. They became bitter enemies during their clashes in the NFC South before the cornerback was traded. This individual matchup often boiled over with after-the-whistle skirmishes and everything in between. It made for outstanding viewing from a fan's perspective.
Marshon Lattimore will push hard to renew physical rivalry wth Mike Evans
Almost as soon as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinched the third seed and a home wildcard tie versus Washington, the pending battle between Lattimore and Evans didn't take long to become a hot topic of discussion across social media. This should give the former first-round pick all the incentive needed to feature in some capacity.
Lattimore isn't one to shirk a challenge. He's highly competitive and is going to relish the chance to line up opposite Evans once again. He knows how to get into the wide receiver's head, which will be a tremendous asset for the Commanders in pursuit of reaching the divisional round.
This might speed things up from Lattimore's perspective, but it's not going to alter the Commanders' approach with the shutdown boundary presence. They have a process in place and need the Ohio State product to hit specific targets before giving him the green light. That won't change just because a must-see tussle with Evans is the prize.
Evans reached the 1,000-yard receiving milestone once again with no time to spare against the New Orleans Saints. That extends his superb run since entering the league, but there is no love lost from Lattimore's perspective if history is any indication.
Couple this with the intensified atmosphere of the playoffs where it's win or go home, and Lattimore and Evans' duel is a powder keg waiting to go off.
Things should become clearer in the coming days. The Commanders have been cautious with Lattimore up to this point. But if everything checks out at practice this week, he'll be in the lineup and looking squarely for Evans right out of the gate.
Evans will be ready and Lattimore is sure to get a hostile reception at Raymond James Stadium. It's nothing he hasn't experienced before, which isn't a bad tool for Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. to depend upon in the playoff pressure cooker.
Get your popcorn ready. This is one momentous collision no NFL fan will want to miss if Lattimore is given the all-clear to participate.
