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One of the biggest complaints that fans had about Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton in 2013 was that he placed too much emphasis on the run game, and though in 2014 he was much improved, you could still point to moments where it was an issue (such as the week two loss to the Eagles). The Colts like their two tight end offense, and that's understandable considering they have one of the best tight end duos in the NFL in Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen.
There might be a bit of a change in the Colts' offensive formations in 2015, however, and that is sure to make a number of fans happy. Hamilton talked with Colts.com's Steve Andress and said that the team will be using more three wide receiver formations, even going as far as to say that it might be the key to them getting over the hump.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pep Hamilton on drafting Phillip Dorsett: "I immediately ran down to my office & ripped up some of my 3TE & 6OL, 1TE & 2WR packages."</p>— Steve Andress (@ColtsReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColtsReporter/status/598547779263307777">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pep on 3rd WR vs. 3rd CBs "That point alone is what we feel like can be the difference in us taking the next step & getting over the hump."</p>— Steve Andress (@ColtsReporter) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColtsReporter/status/598548569650499584">May 13, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Colts are likely to boast a 3WR formation that can rival any team in the NFL, with a group that consists of T.Y. Hilton, Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief, Phillip Dorsett, and perhaps even Duron Carter. That's a group with a ton of speed and a ton of athleticism that could be very dangerous for opposing defenses when paired with quarterback Andrew Luck. For the Colts, they would be smart to utilize that advantage as much as possible.
When they go to a 3WR set, it would likely be Phillip Dorsett (or even T.Y. Hilton) in the slot, and that would ideally create mismatches with opposing slot cornerbacks. Those are hard to come by in today's NFL (even more reason why the Colts should be thankful for Darius Butler) and there aren't many who would be able to match the speed of either Dorsett or Hilton. And considering the other weapons the Colts would have on the outside, as long as the tight ends they could throw into the formation as well, defenses will have a hard time keeping up with all of the weapons at Andrew Luck's disposal. Taking advantage of that edge would be very smart for the Colts and something that Pep Hamilton plans on doing.
This doesn't mean that he'll get rid of all of the heavy formations that include two or three tight ends or six offensive linemen, but it could mean that he plans to use them less. Those formations and players will still have a place, but considering all the talent the Colts have in the passing game there's little doubt that they'll be an offense largely oriented around the pass. That's the way it should be, and it'll be exciting to see it in action this fall.