The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints are more than well acquainted with one another, as both teams reside in the NFC South.
The hate stemming from the divisional rivalry has seeped into the players as well. Tampa Bay star wide receiver Mike Evans and New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore are locked in a feud that’s going into its eighth season.
Lattimore has been shockingly successful at bothering Evans. The wideout has been ejected once and served two one-game suspensions on account of letting Lattimore get under his skin, while also costing himself over $100,000 in fines from the league.
The pair are set to square off again on Sunday, and Evans is ready this time.
“Long as, you know, it’s within the play,” Evans said, via Pro Football Talk.
“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.’”
Evans’s experience in the league may have given him some new perspective, but it’s clear he has no intention of backing down. Expect a dogfight on Sunday.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.