With Washington Commanders fans having eagerly awaited the release of the 2026 NFL schedule, this week has provided plenty of reasons to get excited.
Before the release of the full schedule, though, Commanders fans were also given reason to be pretty thankful. After there was a rumor that Washington could be dealt multiple international games, thus throwing off their rhythm and daily routine, the league officially handed them just one.
This season, the Commanders will take on the Indianapolis Colts in a London matchup.
In the wake of this news, FanSided's Colts expert, Lee Vowell, had a few things to say. But, one thing caught me off-guard, and that was his highlighting of a particular Colts player who the Commanders may need to watch out for.
"While the Colts have to make the playoffs in 2026 for head coach Shane Steichen to keep his job, he needs previously underperforming players to step up, too. How fitting would it be for second-year edge rusher Jaylahn Tuimoloau to finally break out in the NFL by not doing so on the soil of the United States? London might be made for him against the Commanders, and that could lead to the kind of production Indy needs from him."
The Commanders likely won't have to worry about Jaylahn Tuimoloau when they take on the Colts in London
For Commanders fans who may not be familiar, J.T. Tuimoloau now goes by Jaylahn. The former Ohio State Buckeyes star is entering his second year with the Colts, but his rookie campaign wasn't exactly all that impressive.
Tuimoloau appeared in a total of 13 games for Indianapolis after being selected 45th overall, in the second round, but didn't make much of an impact.
Having played just a measly 24 percent of the snaps, I suppose you could call Tuimoloau a true "under-the-radar" type of player. If Colts head coach Shane Steichen's job depends on a player like this, he might as well pack his bags.
I could see how Vowell might identify Tuimoloau as a key breakout candidate, especially in an early-season matchup with Washington. The Commanders' offensive line hasn't been what fans would like to see it be, obviously, with most outlets ranking the group in the bottom half of the league.
Last season, the Commanders' offensive line allowed a total of 37 sacks, which was right around the middle of the pack. Likewise, the Colts' defense accounted for 39 sacks altogether, which came in at a similar spot. For context, the Broncos defense led the league with 68 sacks while the 49ers were last with just 20.
Back to Tuimoloau, though. For a player like him to be someone the Commanders are worried about in Week 4, he is going to have to come out of the gates swinging. Shoot, he's going to need to earn himself a solidified job within that pass rush room to begin with.
It is more than safe to say that Tuimoloau is going to be near the least of the Commanders' worries in this one. Instead, they'll likely key in on stopping another second-year pro in Laiatu Latu, who led the Colts with 8.5 sacks last year.
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