These 3 TE sets are fantastic!

[BlueShoe]

This 3 TE attack is downright nasty!

 

Check out this play in the 2nd quarter with 4:40 on the clock.

 

Offensive Line set is; Allen, Mewhort, Shipley, Thornton, Cherilus, Castonzo, and Fleener.

 

Click to enlarge

 

Mewhort is at LG and Allen at LT, with Doyle in the backfield as the fullback. Just please take a moment to let that digest.

 

Counting the Center, 5 Offensive Lineman are to the right of where the ball is snapped. 

 

Click to enlarge

 

Thornton pulls all the way over and sets in as the LT. Allen crashes down and clears the Mike. Doyle smashes through and clears out Kendricks. 

 

This is a beautifully designed and well executed running play. 

 

One of my favorites.

[PrincetonTiger]

The formations were very effective

[TKnight24]

Still liked Bradshaw more than Richardson in that game

Maybe it's just me, but Bradshaw just looks more explosive and decisive when he's running than Trent does

And it's crazy cause he's missed more time with the team than Trent has

[Superman]

That's what run blocking looks like. Such a huge hole for him to run through.

[BPM_Colt]

Still liked Bradshaw more than Richardson in that game

Maybe it's just me, but Bradshaw just looks more explosive and decisive when he's running than Trent does

And it's crazy cause he's missed more time with the team than Trent has

Bradshaw runs SO much harder.. Would love to see him get the bulk of the work and see how he looks

[TKnight24]

Bradshaw runs SO much harder.. Would love to see him get the bulk of the work and see how he looks

Same thing I said Monday watching him run

But I think his injury history is the reason why he isn't our workhorse and why we're running the 50/50 plan

I think we should get Herron in there too. Running Back by committee approach with Bradshaw leading the way if Pep is really trying to run the ball

That's our problem, we don't have an identity on offense

[coltsfanatic24]

I like that formation, the only problem is we never run play action out of it. It would be more effective if Allen and Fleener run post and streak routes out of it because the safeties usually thinks it's a run.

[TKnight24]

I like that formation, the only problem is we never run play action out of it. It would be more effective if Allen and Fleener run post and streak routes out of it because the safeties usually thinks it's a run.

Glad someone knows how to be creative around here

[coltsfanatic24]

Glad someone knows how to be creative around here

It shouldn't be difficult for the coaching staff to understand, but some of it falls on Luck. There we're a few times in the 2nd half  when the score was 20-6 and Luck audible to "kill". We ran the ball and the Eagles defenders we're in the backfield. Those passes could have gain lots of yards because the Eagles LB's we're committed to the run.

[TKnight24]

It shouldn't be difficult for the coaching staff to understand, but some of it falls on Luck. There we're a few times in the 2nd half when the score was 20-6 and Luck audible to "kill". We ran the ball and the Eagles defenders we're in the backfield. Those passes could have gain lots of yards because the Eagles LB's we're committed to the run.

Writing a letter to Mr. Grigson tonight, seriously gotta hire you as the OC

Or promote Chudzinski and make you his assistant

[PuntersArePeopleToo]

I like that formation, the only problem is we never run play action out of it. It would be more effective if Allen and Fleener run post and streak routes out of it because the safeties usually thinks it's a run.

they do one throw out of that formation first td to bradshaw

[TKnight24]

they do one throw out of that formation first td to bradshaw

Spider Y Banana wasn't out of the 3 TE set I don't believe

Thought that was the I-formation with 1 TE

[krunk]

This formation should definitely be a staple of the offense going forward.  Not only is it a killer running play, but there's a lot of really nice passing plays that you can do out of these power formations to get quick 5 to 10 yard gains as well as deep flag, post, and crossing routes coming off play action to our tight ends.  It's a great formation because it presents bad match up situations for the defense.  If you try to attack this with a nickel we will run all over you, and if you bring in bigger personnel in anticipation of a run we can pass deep or even short on you with roll outs, or bootlegs off play action. 

 

I went back and watched some of Lucks college film and they used to EAT off these power formations a lot.  So many of Lucks touchdowns were to tight ends it was crazy.  And if they couldn't kill you deep they'd keep running the ball and dump it off short to keep the chains moving all the while wearing the defense out.  I think these power formations are going to be killer for us as we develop passing out of these sets. The down side is we will be wasting our WR talent if we don't become sharp with some of the other formations to feed the talent we have at WR as well. We need to be able to mesh the two strengths together to get the best out of both blessings.

[3nk1du]

 The down side is we will be wasting our WR talent if we don't become sharp with some of the other formations to feed the talent we have at WR as well. We need to be able to mesh the two strengths together to get the best out of both blessings.

And that's a great down side because with the new approach to the defensive holding and pass interference we could get a lot of free yrds and we kind of have a good depth at WR.

[krunk]

And that's a great down side because with the new approach to the defensive holding and pass interference we could get a lot of free yrds and we kind of have a good depth at WR.

 

 

I see what you are saying and you have a point, but you can pass out of the heavy sets and get PI calls.  What I mean is the Jumbo sets are definitely something that can be lethal for us on the ground and in the air, but you have to leave almost all of your WR talent on the bench to execute these formations. We also need signature play designs that take advantage of our WR talent.  It's still a work in progress, but once we get to that point this will be a very tough offense to deal with. People just need to be patient and let Pep get used to his personnel and how people are playing us.  I'm sure he'll design something that is nasty as the season goes along.

[BlueShoe]

This formation should definitely be a staple of the offense going forward.  Not only is it a killer running play, but there's a lot of really nice passing plays that you can do out of these power formations to get quick 5 to 10 yard gains as well as deep flag, post, and crossing routes coming off play action to our tight ends.  It's a great formation because it presents bad match up situations for the defense.  If you try to attack this with a nickel we will run all over you, and if you bring in bigger personnel in anticipation of a run we can pass deep or even short on you with roll outs, or bootlegs off play action. 

 

I went back and watched some of Lucks college film and they used to EAT off these power formations a lot.  So many of Lucks touchdowns were to tight ends it was crazy.  And if they couldn't kill you deep they'd keep running the ball and dump it off short to keep the chains moving all the while wearing the defense out.  I think these power formations are going to be killer for us as we develop passing out of these sets. The down side is we will be wasting our WR talent if we don't become sharp with some of the other formations to feed the talent we have at WR as well. We need to be able to mesh the two strengths together to get the best out of both blessings.

 

I have already noticed some red flags with Nicks. At times, he looks lazy to me. He doesn't finish every play, and I have watched him have alligator arms a few times.

 

When Nicks wants to play, he is an elite receiver, and he is an exceptional blocker.

 

Nicks had a bad reputation in New York, and partly because he was a slacker. 

 

I hope I am wrong about Nicks, but his on/off switch is not on enough.

[krunk]

I have already noticed some red flags with Nicks. At times, he looks lazy to me. He doesn't finish every play, and I have watched him have alligator arms a few times.

 

When Nicks wants to play, he is an elite receiver, and he is an exceptional blocker.

 

Nicks had a bad reputation in New York, and partly because he was a slacker. 

 

I hope I am wrong about Nicks, but his on/off switch is not on enough.

 

 

Could be and hopefully everything progresses for the good. I think he'll wake up some as we get him more involved in the game plan, although I haven't noticed him being lazy but I could be wrong. If we get him going it will help keep the defense from automatically assuming T.Y. or Wayne. This thing is going to be nasty once we find some productive passing sets with the WRs to go along with the 3 tight end and other big sets.  People just have to give Pep some time to put this thing together. He's a good OC once you take the time to analyze the whole picture it becomes more evident.

[BlueShoe]

Could be and we will see as things go along, but I think we need to get him more involved in the game plan to wake him up a bit.  It will help keep the defense from automatically assuming T.Y. or Wayne. This thing is going to be nasty once we find some productive passing sets with the WRs to go along with the 3 tight end and other big sets.

 

I agree, and we are only 2 games into the season, so hopefully it turns out to be nothing with Nicks.

 

That said, I would like to see Wayne, Hilton, and Moncrief on the field with Allen and Richardson in 11 personnel.

[Gavin]

I have already noticed some red flags with Nicks. At times, he looks lazy to me. He doesn't finish every play, and I have watched him have alligator arms a few times.

 

When Nicks wants to play, he is an elite receiver, and he is an exceptional blocker.

 

Nicks had a bad reputation in New York, and partly because he was a slacker. 

 

I hope I am wrong about Nicks, but his on/off switch is not on enough.

Going back over the film I agree, Especially out of some of his breaks is where I noticed it most....as well as on the Colts last offensive play of the game, He quit running his route and was more at a jogging pace while running it, There was a very noticeable difference in the effort with which he ran his route on that play compared to others

[lollygagger8]

That sucks about Nicks. We already have one last receiver in Rogers. We don't need another one.

[OLD FAN MAN]

makes pep look good. hope we keep him

[PuntersArePeopleToo]

Spider Y Banana wasn't out of the 3 TE set I don't believe

Thought that was the I-formation with 1 TE

i think all 3 were in their just not all as tight ends cant remember if it was Doyle or Allen as the fb though

[ztboiler]

This 3 TE attack is downright nasty!

 

Check out this play in the 2nd quarter with 4:40 on the clock.

 

Offensive Line set is; Allen, Mewhort, Shipley, Thornton, Cherilus, Castonzo, and Fleener.

 

 

Thornton pulls all the way over and sets in as the LT. Allen crashes down and clears the Mike. Doyle smashes through and clears out Kendricks. 

 

This is a beautifully designed and well executed running play. 

 

One of my favorites.

 

Amidst our standard fan reactivity to being 0-2, it's easy to overlook that this is just as much what innovative looks like as is what the Eagles do.  The number of teams spreading the field and going up tempo is growing - as always happens in a me too league.  As teams shift their defensive personnel to counter the trend, it makes it all the more difficult, on a 53 man roster, to have the heavyweights needed to handle what the Colts brought in this unbalanced 3 TE set.

 

We are just scratching the surface on effectiveness, and we were good enough at this scheme to beat the Eagles handily - it was a fluke that we lost.  The people that are quietly panicking are Chip Kelly and those imitating his scheme.  They can't beat a well orchestrated ball control approach, with a sound defense, and they know it.  When the pendulum finishes swinging.....and it always does.....

[BlueShoe]

Amidst our standard fan reactivity to being 0-2, it's easy to overlook that this is just as much what innovative looks like as is what the Eagles do.  The number of teams spreading the field and going up tempo is growing - as always happens in a me too league.  As teams shift their defensive personnel to counter the trend, it makes it all the more difficult, on a 53 man roster, to have the heavyweights needed to handle what the Colts brought in this unbalanced 3 TE set.

 

We are just scratching the surface on effectiveness, and we were good enough at this scheme to beat the Eagles handily - it was a fluke that we lost.  The people that are quietly panicking are Chip Kelly and those imitating his scheme.  They can't beat a well orchestrated ball control approach, with a sound defense, and they know it.  When the pendulum finishes swinging.....and it always does.....

 

I agree. A few days ago, I wrote in a post that it's the Colts fans who need to adjust more than anything. This Pep Hamilton offense is dynamic, and very interesting. It's going to take a while for Colts fans to understand this offense, and in the process Pep will improve the football IQ of the Colts fan base. 

[NewEra]

I agree. A few days ago, I wrote in a post that it's the Colts fans who need to adjust more than anything. This Pep Hamilton offense is dynamic, and very interesting. It's going to take a while for Colts fans to understand this offense, and in the process Pep will improve the football IQ of the Colts fan base.

They only problem I saw from it was once the defense adjusted and started shutting it down Pep did not adjust. If you are going to use that formation hit them with some play action or passes out of it also.

[3nk1du]

I see what you are saying and you have a point, but you can pass out of the heavy sets and get PI calls.  What I mean is the Jumbo sets are definitely something that can be lethal for us on the ground and in the air, but you have to leave almost all of your WR talent on the bench to execute these formations. We also need signature play designs that take advantage of our WR talent.  It's still a work in progress, but once we get to that point this will be a very tough offense to deal with. People just need to be patient and let Pep get used to his personnel and how people are playing us.  I'm sure he'll design something that is nasty as the season goes along.

 

Yep but i was watching the DEN vs SEA and i realize than SEA doesn't run heavy schemes as often as we do, they are always like 3 WR and a TE and they let Beast Mode run the ball and the defensives don't stack like a buch of guys on the box they are afraid of RW and their WR group(they have talent but i think we have a little more) and i'm wondering why we don't run schemes like more often i mean Hamilton likes the power run but if you have oranges you don't make lemonade(we don't have a true FB and Allen and Fleener are really good pass catchers).

Also SF they run a offense more like we do but they have a excellent OL and they let CK run a couple of options but Pagano/Irsay/Grigson don't even consider it and we could run like once or twice a read-option like Phil or SF does.

I don't have NFL review but i'm considering to buy it because i'd like to analyze the games.

[BlueShoe]

They only problem I saw from it was once the defense adjusted and started shutting it down Pep did not adjust. If you are going to use that formation hit them with some play action or passes out of it also.

 

I have seen a lot of flexibility in play calling and we have ran several different plays out of that formation. We have even flipped the formation. We have also mixed FB's OL, and TE's around to make it work. 

 

The base is simple to understand.

[NewEra]

I have seen a lot of flexibility in play calling and we have ran several different plays out of that formation. We have even flipped the formation. We have also mixed FB's OL, and TE's around to make it work.

The base is simple to understand.

In the jags game I thought he did a much better job running play action off the run.

[DougDew]

On that play, it looks like Cherilous doesn't really block anyone.  He went to help Castonzo, who doesn't appear to realy need it, and the LB (S) in front of him was free to pursue TRich and got in on the tackle.  Maybe if Cherilous would have fired out and blocked the LB (looks like maybe a SS, 27?), best he could being an OT, the play would have gained more yards. 

 

I'm sure that the coaches are working on play action pass plays off of that formation.  I think you want to showcase the run and get the league to worry about that formation as a running play first, then work pass plays off of that.

[chad72]

We went from a handful of looks towards the TEs in the Eagles game to TE receptions totaling in the teens in the Jaguars game.

 

Finally, they are realizing our TEs can do a bit more, if asked and plays designed for. That is the single biggest positive I took out of the Jaguars game.

[OffensivelyPC]

Amidst our standard fan reactivity to being 0-2, it's easy to overlook that this is just as much what innovative looks like as is what the Eagles do.  The number of teams spreading the field and going up tempo is growing - as always happens in a me too league.  As teams shift their defensive personnel to counter the trend, it makes it all the more difficult, on a 53 man roster, to have the heavyweights needed to handle what the Colts brought in this unbalanced 3 TE set.

 

We are just scratching the surface on effectiveness, and we were good enough at this scheme to beat the Eagles handily - it was a fluke that we lost.  The people that are quietly panicking are Chip Kelly and those imitating his scheme.  They can't beat a well orchestrated ball control approach, with a sound defense, and they know it.  When the pendulum finishes swinging.....and it always does.....

And Chip's offense can really have the unintended backfiring effect of gassing their own defense.  When you're sustaining long drives and running the ball effectively, then their offense quickly scores, punts, or whatever, their defense are the ones who will suffer.  I do think there is a place in the NFL for that kind of offense, it just requires a defense that can force a 3 and out situation quickly the majority of the time.  I mean, it did work against us, but it took an unfathomable no call resulting in an interception and a generally uncharacteristic Trent fumble in our territory to do it.  Like you said, fluke.

[Narcosys]

Bradshaw runs SO much harder.. Would love to see him get the bulk of the work and see how he looks

He would look injured.

[Coffeedrinker]

He would look injured.

I don't know if I like this or not but it is very funny.

[Slick_Rick]

I think we should do some motion out of it. Set up like that, then send Coby out wide. Just to add a wrinkle, and to give the defense something else to prepare for. If they see a power formation and send a defense to guard the run, we could make them really second guess themselves.

[ztboiler]

And Chip's offense can really have the unintended backfiring effect of gassing their own defense.  When you're sustaining long drives and running the ball effectively, then their offense quickly scores, punts, or whatever, their defense are the ones who will suffer.  I do think there is a place in the NFL for that kind of offense, it just requires a defense that can force a 3 and out situation quickly the majority of the time.  I mean, it did work against us, but it took an unfathomable no call resulting in an interception and a generally uncharacteristic Trent fumble in our territory to do it.  Like you said, fluke.

Chip Kelly, his predecessors, and followers are fun to watch, and can beat anyone on any given day, but they have no national titles and Stanford was his Cryptonite.  The beauty of sport is that there is no silver bullet for every situation.

 

Having enjoyed every minute of the Colts era on the Manning rocketship (well, most minutes) - I value it for the great ride that it was was also realizing how inherently flawed it was - and I'm ready for this team to be built very differently.  As of now, there is nothing about the way this team is being built that I disagree with other than 2 minor quibbles (none on offense) and both are personnel dependent:

 

1 - I'd like to have the ability to play the man coverage schemes we currently do mixed with a good dose of cover 3.  It would be a huge asset against mobile QB's, as well as a good variable to use against great passing attacks with dominant physical WR's. We obviously don't have the personnel at safety to do it well today...maybe it is in the plans once we do.

 

2 - Regardless of our commitment to play classic 2-Gap D Linemen, the NFL of today requires pressure from 4 man fronts to beat some teams - so I think we need at least 1 interior rush specialist for Nascar type nickel packages.

[OffensivelyPC]

Chip Kelly, his predecessors, and followers are fun to watch, and can beat anyone on any given day, but they have no national titles and Stanford was his Cryptonite.  The beauty of sport is that there is no silver bullet for every situation.

 

Having enjoyed every minute of the Colts era on the Manning rocketship (well, most minutes) - I value it for the great ride that it was was also realizing how inherently flawed it was - and I'm ready for this team to be built very differently.  As of now, there is nothing about the way this team is being built that I disagree with other than 2 minor quibbles (none on offense) and both are personnel dependent:

 

1 - I'd like to have the ability to play the man coverage schemes we currently do mixed with a good dose of cover 3.  It would be a huge asset against mobile QB's, as well as a good variable to use against great passing attacks with dominant physical WR's. We obviously don't have the personnel at safety to do it well today...maybe it is in the plans once we do.

 

2 - Regardless of our commitment to play classic 2-Gap D Linemen, the NFL of today requires pressure from 4 man fronts to beat some teams - so I think we need at least 1 interior rush specialist for Nascar type nickel packages.

The bolded is exactly what I was going to say before I got to it.  Perhaps Purifoy will be an asset in that regard, but he's still got plenty of developing to do.  I know we were hoping that Landry would be better in coverage, but if he was as good as he was while playing safety in WAS, we might throw those cover 3 looks in more often. 

 

With respect to two, losing Art hurts us in that department.  With several of our interior DL getting older, this next draft would be a perfect opportunity to address that need.  I've always thought our interior pass rush has been substandard, especially given the fact that our outside rush, while far from dominant, is getting some pressure.  It's just that we don't always get the intiorior push to seal the deal.  Plus, in our first two games, Foles and Manning get rid of the ball pretty quickly as it is.  But getting that interior push is hwat disrupts the timing better than anything else, and like I said, we've been substandard in that area.

[NewColtsFan]

I like that formation, the only problem is we never run play action out of it. It would be more effective if Allen and Fleener run post and streak routes out of it because the safeties usually thinks it's a run.

 

I'm sure Pep knows that.    I'm also sure Pep is the kind of guy to save his best plays for the biggest games toward the end of the year when he need it most.

 

For better or worse,  Pep will go the whole year showing opposing defenses a small numbers of plays out of this formation.

 

Then,  come the playoffs,  he will start running different plays out of this formation to hopefully fool the defense.

 

That's what he did at Stanford.    I suspect he'll do it again here with Indy....

[NewColtsFan]

He would look injured.

 

 

Now THAT'S Laugh Out Loud funny!!

 

Mad props to you!!     

[NewColtsFan]

It's not just the 3-TE set concept that is working.

 

It's that it's being run out of some completely draw it up in the dirt school yard looking formation.

 

Allen is the tackle on the left.   Cherilous and Castanzo are side by side on the right with Fleener outside of them.

 

Doyle is the fullback capable of blocking or playing at the line.    He is also a catching threat.

 

There are lots of different ways to attack out of this formation.   But the plus is that defenses only need to be confused or uncertain for a split second for the Colts to gain an advantage.

 

I'm hoping all this works against better defenses.    It's one thing to run it against the J'Villes of the world...   but it's also got to work against the better teams we face as well.....

[ztboiler]

The bolded is exactly what I was going to say before I got to it.  Perhaps Purifoy will be an asset in that regard, but he's still got plenty of developing to do.  I know we were hoping that Landry would be better in coverage, but if he was as good as he was while playing safety in WAS, we might throw those cover 3 looks in more often. 

 

With respect to two, losing Art hurts us in that department.  With several of our interior DL getting older, this next draft would be a perfect opportunity to address that need.  I've always thought our interior pass rush has been substandard, especially given the fact that our outside rush, while far from dominant, is getting some pressure.  It's just that we don't always get the intiorior push to seal the deal.  Plus, in our first two games, Foles and Manning get rid of the ball pretty quickly as it is.  But getting that interior push is hwat disrupts the timing better than anything else, and like I said, we've been substandard in that area.

I'd guess we have just hit on the main reason why we didn't see the safety position addressed more proactively in the draft or free agency.  It takes a special talent at safety to anything different than what we already can do on the back end, and that talent wasn't out there (short of jumping into the Byrd sweepstakes) so we'll have to bide our time until that player can be drafted in all likelihood.  In the interim, we play so much man on the corners that we don't really require a special talent on the back end.  

 

I think you're right that it hurts to lose Art, but I also think there is a philisophical gap here as well.  Our staff doesn't seem to want deviate much from 3-4 lineman and backer personnel types.  In fairness, roster limits make having a specialist, who isn't a great fit in your base scheme, tough.  However, even Art Jones at his best is not going to cause a good O-line more than an occassional disruption from the interior.  The kind of pressure that the Giants brought against NE was special, but we play so much nickel that it seems to me you could invest in a couple of interior specialists to achieve this.  Probably easier from the armchair than in real life - but we are seeing this kind of roster mix on other teams playing 3-4 base D. 

 

Bottom line - we are going to have to increase our athleticism on D over time, and I suspect I'm showing some impatience to a degree.  You have to be good at something before you can tweak it, and we first had to put the right base D in place.  Now that we have that, I suspect we'll see some of the migration toward hybrid athleticism, or at least hope so.