It’s only fitting that the Washington Commanders play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFL wild-card matchup on Sunday Night Football. While the game was scheduled for Sunday night because of Washington rookie Jayden Daniels, the most intriguing matchup doesn’t involve either quarterback — Daniels or Baker Mayfield.
Instead, everyone is talking about the matchup of Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans against Washington cornerback Marshon Lattimore.
Lattimore has missed six of eight games since the Commanders acquired him at November’s NFL trade deadline. After sitting the last two games, there was no way Lattimore would miss this game.
Lattimore and Evans have a history — an ugly but entertaining one. Lattimore and Evans were NFC South rivals for years when the former played for the New Orleans Saints. Both players won their fair share of battles against one another.
However, their battles were personal. Evans has drawn penalties, ejections, and fines and served two separate one-game suspensions due to altercations with Lattimore, often after the whistle.
Former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman wasn’t just one of the best defensive backs in the league when he played; he was also a trash talker. Now one of the NFL’s best analysts for Amazon Prime, Sherman believes this rivalry will continue on Sunday.
“Oh, it’s going to make an impact; I am sure they’re going to have Lattimore follow him because Mike is a huge target and a huge part of their offense,” Sherman said on “Up & Adams.”
“Yeah, they got real history. In New Orleans, it was even bigger because the teams understood it; the teams had conflict, so it went further than just Mike and Lattimore. It went through the whole team. But I think the Commanders will back him up even though he’s only been there for a little while. He’s going to continue to be him. He’s going to continue to try to get under Mike’s skin, and Mike’s going to continue to feel a way about him. So, I can’t wait to watch it, that’s one of my favorite matchups.”
So, who gets the best of this matchup?
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
“I don’t know,” Sherman said. “Marshon’s had a lot of good games against Mike. But Mike’s in a zone right now, and Baker (Mayfield) is gonna feed him, and I’m sure Baker knows the history, and Baker is petty in that way, and I like that about him. So I think Mike will have more opportunities to go after him.”
You can bet Mayfield will go after Lattimore. He’s played only two games in almost three months and is coming off a hamstring injury. The Eagles tested Lattimore in Week 16, and he aggravated the hamstring after an up-and-down battle with A.J. Brown.
You can bet both head coaches have spoken with Lattimore and Evans about maintaining their composure. One penalty could make a huge difference, and the stakes are much higher this time around, as the pair have never met in the playoffs.