Deion Burks, Jaylahn Tuimoloau, Adetomiwa…

Tuimoloau wrecked back-to-back plays on the Minnesota Vikings’ first possession of Week 7. Facing a third-and-one, Tuimoloau knifed inside an attempted block by tight end T.J. Hockenson to drop running back Aaron Jones for no gain; on fourth-and-one, he exploded off the snap, darted inside past right tackle Bryan O’Neill and made Jones stop his feet, allowing linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither and defensive end Laiatu Latu to stuff Jones and force a turnover on downs.

Later in the game, Tuimoloau fought through being chipped by Jones and then soundly beat O’Neill with a filthy spin move, which helped force quarterback Kyler Murray to scramble out of the pocket and be stopped short of the line to gain on third-and-10.

The more of those plays the Colts can get out of Tuimoloau, their 2025 second-round pick, the better their defense will be.

“I was pleased with the run effort,” defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said. “And certainly, you saw it on that first drive where he created some knockback, created some indecision on how they were going to block something and we were able to stop them on that first series, which was great. But yeah, him and Latu both just continuing to work and get better at getting off on the ball, using their speed to power, using their God-given abilities, and then finishing and getting close and getting these guys on the ground. That’s what we have to do, and those guys are working their tails off to get it done.”

Adebawore added two sacks in Week 7 as his breakout 2026 season continued, but one other play to highlight came midway through the second quarter against the Vikings. Jones took a toss and looked to follow O’Neill into open space toward the boundary. But Adebawore disengaged from center Jake Brendel’s reach block and closed with remarkable quickness on Jones, dropping the running back before he could turn the corner and get upfield.

That sentence doesn’t quite do the play justice, if we’re being honest.

“Unbelievable,” defensive line coach Marion Hobby said. “… It was one of those high-effort, extra-effort tackles that you get from the inside guy – those should go on your clinic tape every year, because that’s rare.

“You come out basically from the middle of the field all the way to the sideline and make a play. That credit goes to him.

“If you had to talk about motor, he’s got a V8. He’s not a V6. He’s a V8 guy, and he plays like it.”

Those are the types of plays head coach Shane Steichen said he wants to see out of his team – the sort of no-matter-the-circumstances, make-a-play effort that jumps off the tape.

“Just the relentless effort to go get him down, and that’s what you want,” Steichen said. “Just a tireless freaking work ethic – that’s what you want in football players, and he displays that, but he does it in practice. So, when you do it in practice, it comes to life in the games, and he’s doing it at a high level.”