Marshon Lattimore is on track to play as the Washington Commanders look to attain Wild Card round success at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This also provides the cornerback with another opportunity to lock horns with his fiercest rival.
There is no love lost between Lattimore and wide receiver Mike Evans. The pair battled throughout the cornerback's time with the New Orleans Saints. It was always physical with some extra-curricular activity after the whistle. This is a heavyweight matchup between two competitive individuals at the peak of their profession.
The spotlight will be beaming on Lattimore and Evans. Excitement is building about the duo squaring off once again. Whoever keeps calm in the postseason playoff cooker is going to emerge victorious.
This will go a long way to determining the overall outcome. The Commanders need Lattimore to lock down one side of the field. He's missed considerable time over the second half of 2024 with a hamstring issue. But if he's on the field, Washington expects him to produce the goods.
It's also why the Commanders acquired Lattimore via trade from the Saints. They needed someone with the talent and mettle to shadow the opposition's most prolific receiving threat when the stakes were highest. There's no bigger moment than the playoffs on primetime.
Richard Sherman is expecting fireworks between Marshon Lattimore and Mike Evans
Former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Richard Sherman is among those relishing the prospect of seeing Lattimore and Evans line up versus one another this weekend. He highlighted the rivalry's significance and what it could mean for this particular contest. He also leaned toward the wideout having the upper hand given his current form.
"It's gonna have an impact. And I'm sure they're gonna have [Marshon] Lattimore follow him because Mike [Evans] is a huge target and a huge part of their offense. They've got real history. I think in New Orleans it was even bigger because the teams understood it. The teams had conflict, you know what I mean? I think the Commanders will back him up even though he's only been there for a little while. He's gonna be him. He's gonna continue to get under Mike's skin, and Mike's gonna continue to feel a way about him. Marshon's had a lot of good games about Mike, but Mike's in the zone right now."Richard Sherman via Up and Adams Show
How much will Marshon Lattimore and Mike Evans 'turbulent' history impact Sunday's game??? 😬#WASvsTB@RSherman_25: "(Lattimore's) gonna continue to get under Mike's skin and Mike's gonna continue to feel a way about him." @heykayadams @Commanders @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/RI8dB3o694
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 9, 2025
Lattimore has only played two games since joining the Commanders, so there's just no telling for sure how things are going to go. However, he's got some outstanding production against Evans that should serve him well at Raymond James Stadium.
According to ex-cornerback turned analyst Jason McCourty, Evans is averaging just 2.6 catches for 43.6 receiving yards in 13 games against Lattimore. Both players will be aware of that fact, but this remains a volatile situation that demands cool heads across the board.
This should help the Commanders. They'll have watched the tape and will know how much this means to Lattimore. Whatever extra motivation that can inspire them, the better Washington's chances of reaching the divisional round will be.
Lattimore is an accomplished performer who won't back down from the challenge. But make no mistake, Evans is going into the game with the same mentality.
Get your popcorn ready. This is one not to miss.