2 Te Vs 3 Wr Sets

[NYColt]

It's a copy-cat league and New England demonstrated last year how devastating an offense can be when it has 2 legitimate blocking TEs that also have receiver skills, despite not having a true #1 WR, a dominant O-line and a QB who can read and react on the fly.

Obviously not every team is blessed with all those pieces that NE has to operate such a scheme, but in this copy-cat league it begs the question - would the Colts be better served by looking to the 2 TE set with Clark and Tamme or is our bread-and-butter still, and always will be, the 3 receiver set?

While I see many obvious pluses with going to a 2 TE set, but I'm not sure that it would necessarily be a more effective personnel grouping than the 3 WR set, as Tamme isn't a great blocker, the O-line is in a state-of-transition and we won't be sure what improvement (if any) we'll see in the run-game to be able to run it down teams throats consistently as a reliable option.

I think the key to this formation is being able to run effectively and having good blocking TEs that can sow some doubt and not just be predictable (otherwise why even run 2 TEs) by sending them out as receivers every play. Given the current state of the Colts offense, I'm not sure it would be as effective as NE's is right now. What do you guys think?

[OJl]

It's a copy-cat league and New England demonstrated last year how devastating an offense can be when it has 2 legitimate blocking TEs that also have receiver skills, despite not having a true #1 WR, a dominant O-line and a QB who can read and react on the fly.

Obviously not every team is blessed with all those pieces that NE has to operate such a scheme, but in this copy-cat league it begs the question - would the Colts be better served by looking to the 2 TE set with Clark and Tamme or is our bread-and-butter still, and always will be, the 3 receiver set?

While I see many obvious pluses with going to a 2 TE set, but I'm not sure that it would necessarily be a more effective personnel grouping than the 3 WR set, as Tamme isn't a great blocker, the O-line is in a state-of-transition and we won't be sure what improvement (if any) we'll see in the run-game to be able to run it down teams throats consistently as a reliable option.

I think the key to this formation is being able to run effectively and having good blocking TEs that can sow some doubt and not just be predictable (otherwise why even run 2 TEs) by sending them out as receivers every play. Given the current state of the Colts offense, I'm not sure it would be as effective as NE's is right now. What do you guys think?

FIRST!

[Coffeedrinker]

It's a copy-cat league and New England demonstrated last year how devastating an offense can be when it has 2 legitimate blocking TEs that also have receiver skills, despite not having a true #1 WR, a dominant O-line and a QB who can read and react on the fly.

Obviously not every team is blessed with all those pieces that NE has to operate such a scheme, but in this copy-cat league it begs the question - would the Colts be better served by looking to the 2 TE set with Clark and Tamme or is our bread-and-butter still, and always will be, the 3 receiver set?

While I see many obvious pluses with going to a 2 TE set, but I'm not sure that it would necessarily be a more effective personnel grouping than the 3 WR set, as Tamme isn't a great blocker, the O-line is in a state-of-transition and we won't be sure what improvement (if any) we'll see in the run-game to be able to run it down teams throats consistently as a reliable option.

I think the key to this formation is being able to run effectively and having good blocking TEs that can sow some doubt and not just be predictable (otherwise why even run 2 TEs) by sending them out as receivers every play. Given the current state of the Colts offense, I'm not sure it would be as effective as NE's is right now. What do you guys think?

I think it is more dependant on the defense the team is facing. Against a team that runs primarily a 3-4 (or a zone blitzing scheme), I'm a big proponent of spreading the field; it gets the LBers further away from the box and helps to expose the direction of the rush. Against a Team that runs primarily a 4-3 then I like the two TE set, especially for a team like the Colts, because it gives Manning a lot of flexibility at the LOS in both run calls and pass calls. I will say that a line up of Wayne, Tamme, Clark, Collie... somebody is going to get open.

Also on a related note. IN the SF game I was suprised and impressed with Tamme's blocking. He's not a mauler by any stretch of the imagination but he was doing a good job shielding and directing. I plan to watch him more in the Redskins game.

Lastly, the Colts proved a long time ago with Dilger and Pollard, how efficient an offense can be with two capable TEs

[Smitto]

yea i think whatever works in a game the colts will go to it, sometimes a two TE set is not always the best idea.

[HGRekks]

The Pats don't have 2 blocking TEs. Hernandez is about as good of an inline blocker as Clark or most any other receiving TE. He's decent at the second level, but he's no inline blocker. Gronkowski is the do-it-all with both solid skills as a receiver and blocker, which is why he got more playing time.

[chad72]

That is why I am rooting for another blocking TE type in Tyson DeVree to do well because he could potentially fill a position of need without Gijon Robinson. I will be at the game tomorrow and will be watching him as well. Given Eldridge's inability to stay healthy so far (what is it with the blocking TEs that the Colts bring - Ben Utecht, Tom Santi, and now Eldridge???), I would like him to do well for us to get some insurance there. Mike McNeil would just be another receiving TE along the lines of Clark and Tamme, will be an embarrassment of riches at the receiving TE there :-).

However, unlike Tamme, Dallas Clark will draw more safety help thus letting Collie flourish in the slot. No co-incidence that when DC went down, the hits started focusing on Collie since no one was worried about Tamme needing safety help (though Tamme's production warranted otherwise, IMO).

[justcolts]

Looking at our injury plagued WR situation, we might be forced to use 2 TE formations a lot.

[ColtsHoosiersBB]

The Colts have a dangerous QB that can use a three WR package effectively with accurate,down field passes.

The Patriots have a QB that has one heckuva swing pass and can dink and dunk 10 to 15 yd

passes with the best of them, which is best utilized with the 2 TE package.

I hope this clears up any questions.