Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore will be appointment viewing in Wild Card matchup

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off against the Washington Commanders in the Wild Card Round this weekend, all eyes will be on the key matchup between Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore.

The rivalry between Evans and Lattimore dates back to Lattimore's rookie season in 2017, and their matchups have been must-see TV ever since. Both have solidified their status as elite players at their respective positions, with Evans carving out a Hall of Fame-worthy career as one of the most consistent wide receivers of all time and Lattimore earning four Pro Bowl selections as one of the league's top cornerbacks.

Throughout Evans' prolific career, no defender has been as successful in limiting his impact as Marshon Lattimore. The Bucs are hoping for Evans to change the narrative on Sunday because, frankly, a playoff win will be hard to come by if the team's star player is rendered a non-factor.

"When we play, it gets super competitive. He's a competitive guy, and I'm super competitive as well. We're both great players and it's a good matchup," Evans said when asked about the rivalry on the I Am Athlete Podcast in 2023.

The battle doesn’t end at the whistle for Evans and Lattimore either; in fact, perhaps the biggest headline heading into this game is their history of post-play altercations. Evans has been suspended twice in his career for physical confrontations with Lattimore, and with the heightened intensity of the playoffs this weekend, there’s a real possibility that things could get chippy once again.

Bucs' Head Coach Todd Bowles isn't enthused by the individual rivalry narrative, and he expects his team captain to avoid letting the intensity of the matchup become a distraction and hurt the team. "Mike is a pro and he understands what’s at stake," Bowles said in his press conference on Wednesday. "He understands the game. Nothing really needs to be said about that. They’re both great players and they both like to compete."

This will be the first time the rivals face off since the New Orleans Saints traded Marshon Lattimore to the Washington Commanders earlier this season. In their most recent matchup, Lattimore held Evans to just two catches for 34 yards. To demonstrate Lattimore's impact, the Buccaneers and Saints played again last week, and Evans recorded nine catches for 89 yards without Lattimore in the Saints' secondary.

Lattimore has been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury, appearing in just one game for the Commanders since being acquired in November. Wednesday's injury report lists Lattimore as a full participant and barring any setbacks, he will take the field on Sunday night.

Evans and Lattimore have already forged one of the most iconic player rivalries in NFL history. Sunday’s playoff game is set to write yet another memorable chapter to the story. With both players bringing their best for the postseason, this showdown is poised to be another defining moment for the rivalry.

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