As head coach Dan Quinn said Wednesday, it's "all hands on deck" for the Washington Commanders this week as they prepare for their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round, and they're getting some reinforcements in the secondary.
Marshon Lattimore will be available for this weekend's game after being a full participant on Wednesday and Thursday. He was not on the field during Friday's practice taking a veteran rest day before the postseason matchup.
"We're pumped to have him back into the mix," Quinn said. "He's been chomping at the bit to get going, so he hit all the markers that we needed to see."
Lattimore is expected to be pitted against veteran wide receiver Mike Evans. The two have a chippy history between them, and Lattimore isn't backing down from the five-time Pro Bowler.
"I want to be physical. I want to be physical with anybody," Lattimore said. "The extra level because of the past -- it's not really about the mental game. You're going to know I'm here."
Lattimore has played in two games since the Commanders traded for him from the New Orleans Saints in November. He was not targeted at all in his first game with the Burgundy & Gold -- ironically against the Saints -- and had three pass breakups while working against A.J. Brown.
Now, Lattimore will face Evans once again. The two met often when Lattimore played for the Saints, and their battles have resulted in overly physical tussles on the field. Lattimore has held Evans, who averages five receptions and 75 yards per game over his career, to 40 or fewer yards in seven games.
It'll be just the second time that the two will meet in the playoffs. Evans had one catch for three yards and a touchdown in the 30-20 win for the Buccaneers.
"I'm going out there to try and help my team," Lattimore said. "All the other stuff, if it comes, it comes."
Although the Commanders have a lengthy injury report this week, they'll head into the weekend with a relatively clean bill of health. Players like Jeremy Chinn, John Bates, Brandon Coleman and Frankie Luvu, all of whom popped up on the injury report, will be available on Sunday.
Luvu was also one of four Commanders named Second Team All-Pro.
"The energy, the love that I said he brings for the team, he was one that got a lot of the votes as a captain as well," Quinn said. "And so, as a coach, you see more people leading and into spaces, like that's what you want."
Colson Yankoff, who had his 21-day window opened by the team this week, has been ruled out. Jamison Crowder, limited all week with a hamstring injury, is questionable.
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