Injury update gives fans hopes of seeing NFL’s most vicious rivalry that’s produced fights, bans and fines
Mike Evans enjoyed a dream ending to the regular season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured a spot in the wild-card round with a thrilling 27-19 win over the New Orleans Saints. ReutersEvans has a long-running beef with the Saints[/caption] His team ran an extra play instead of taking a knee to ensure he earned $3million by topping 1,000 receiving yards for the 11th straight season – matching Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s feat. Surprisingly, the Saints didn’t do much to try and counter what was an an extremely predictable play. That might not have been the case if Marshon Lattimore was on the field. The former New Orleans cornerback has a fierce rivalry with Evans that has been raging since he was drafted in 2017. There have been numerous fights and words exchanged between the fierce competitors. Lattimore has often held Evans in check on the field, as well as getting under his skin. Evans has been ejected once, served two one-game suspensions, and racked up $100,000 in fines over clashes with his nemesis. Fortunately for the iconic wideout, the star defensive end was traded to the Washington Commanders in November. Lattimore was brought in to add an elite option in a playoff-bound defense. The 30-year-old has since sat out of six games with a hamstring injury, which he re-aggravated against the Saints in Week 15 – his only outing for the Commanders. ReutersLattimore has often got the better of their exchanges[/caption] GettyEvans will hope Baker Mayfield can help him end the hoodoo[/caption] Tampa Bay’s reward for reaching the play-offs is to host Washington in the wild-card round on Sunday Night Football. Fans desperate to see Evans and Lattimore go toe-to-toe again could be in luck. After missing Week 18 with a playoff spot already guaranteed, the defensive standout is trending well for Sunday. “I love the speed he’s working with and he’s certainly very close,” revealed head coach Dan Quinn. Evans claimed he had learned from his mistakes ahead of a clash against Lattimore’s Saints in October. “Long as, you know, it’s within the play,’’ the 31-year-old told the Tampa Bay Times. “I’ve done a bad job in the past of making it go over the play when I shouldn’t have. “But I’m more mature now and our team is focused on playing winning ball, and you can’t play winning ball when you get kicked out and things like that. “But I definitely want to have that fire and be physical and a little chirping never hurts. But you definitely have got to be smart. “You can’t play winning ball when you get kicked out and things like that.’’ Tampa Bay won that game 51-27, with Baker Mayfield throwing for 325 yards and four touchdowns. Evans was held to two catches for 34 yards – numbers he will be desperate to improve on under the lights in the postseason. We’ are just a month away from Super Bowl 59 and talkSPORT will be live from New Orleans for build-up and live coverage talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio and this weekend the NFL Playoffs get underway with 5 exclusive commentaries on talkSPORT2. On Saturday evening, we have full live commentary as the best in the NFL go head-to-head, knowing they’re just three wins away from the biggest game in all of American sports. For more details head to talkSPORT.com and join the team this Saturday evening from 9 pm for Chargers @ Texans to kick start the weekend. LIVE ON TALKSPORT2 Saturday 11th January 21:30 Los Angeles Chargers v Houston Texans 01:00 Pittsburgh Steelers v Baltimore Ravens Sunday 12th January 18:00 Denver Broncos v Buffalo Bills 01:00 Washington Commanders v Tampa Bay Buccaneers Monday 13th January 01:00 Minnesota Vikings v Los Angeles Rams And subscribe to our dedicated NFL YouTube channel ‘talkSPORT End Zone’ where will will have news, views, interviews and build up as we count down to the biggest game of the year
Mike Evans enjoyed a dream ending to the regular season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured a spot in the wild-card round with a thrilling 27-19 win over the New Orleans Saints.
His team ran an extra play instead of taking a knee to ensure he earned $3million by topping 1,000 receiving yards for the 11th straight season – matching Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s feat.
Surprisingly, the Saints didn’t do much to try and counter what was an an extremely predictable play.
That might not have been the case if Marshon Lattimore was on the field.
The former New Orleans cornerback has a fierce rivalry with Evans that has been raging since he was drafted in 2017.
There have been numerous fights and words exchanged between the fierce competitors.
Lattimore has often held Evans in check on the field, as well as getting under his skin.
Evans has been ejected once, served two one-game suspensions, and racked up $100,000 in fines over clashes with his nemesis.
Fortunately for the iconic wideout, the star defensive end was traded to the Washington Commanders in November.
Lattimore was brought in to add an elite option in a playoff-bound defense.
The 30-year-old has since sat out of six games with a hamstring injury, which he re-aggravated against the Saints in Week 15 – his only outing for the Commanders.
Tampa Bay’s reward for reaching the play-offs is to host Washington in the wild-card round on Sunday Night Football.
Fans desperate to see Evans and Lattimore go toe-to-toe again could be in luck.
After missing Week 18 with a playoff spot already guaranteed, the defensive standout is trending well for Sunday.
“I love the speed he’s working with and he’s certainly very close,” revealed head coach Dan Quinn.
Evans claimed he had learned from his mistakes ahead of a clash against Lattimore’s Saints in October.
“Long as, you know, it’s within the play,’’ the 31-year-old told the Tampa Bay Times.
“I’ve done a bad job in the past of making it go over the play when I shouldn’t have.
“But I’m more mature now and our team is focused on playing winning ball, and you can’t play winning ball when you get kicked out and things like that.
“But I definitely want to have that fire and be physical and a little chirping never hurts. But you definitely have got to be smart.
“You can’t play winning ball when you get kicked out and things like that.’’
Tampa Bay won that game 51-27, with Baker Mayfield throwing for 325 yards and four touchdowns.
Evans was held to two catches for 34 yards – numbers he will be desperate to improve on under the lights in the postseason.
We’ are just a month away from Super Bowl 59 and talkSPORT will be live from New Orleans for build-up and live coverage
talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio and this weekend the NFL Playoffs get underway with 5 exclusive commentaries on talkSPORT2.
On Saturday evening, we have full live commentary as the best in the NFL go head-to-head, knowing they’re just three wins away from the biggest game in all of American sports.
For more details head to talkSPORT.com and join the team this Saturday evening from 9 pm for Chargers @ Texans to kick start the weekend.
LIVE ON TALKSPORT2
Saturday 11th January
21:30 Los Angeles Chargers v Houston Texans
01:00 Pittsburgh Steelers v Baltimore Ravens
Sunday 12th January
18:00 Denver Broncos v Buffalo Bills
01:00 Washington Commanders v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Monday 13th January
01:00 Minnesota Vikings v Los Angeles Rams
And subscribe to our dedicated NFL YouTube channel ‘talkSPORT End Zone’ where will will have news, views, interviews and build up as we count down to the biggest game of the year
