LOL, except that the Colts offense is very complex as well and is close to the system in N.E.
Totally incorrect. Patriots and Colts are on totally opposite ends of the spectrum in pass attack.
The beauty of the Colts offense is that it is not a complicated offense. It is based on simplicity and repetition, not flexibility. It's like clockwork. They aren't going to confuse their opponents with lots of formations or complicated routes. They almost always run out of the same 3/1/1 set. In addition, they stick to a limited number of concepts compared to other teams, but they execute it exceedingly well.
The Colts can sell these kind of plays because they are precise route runners. So even when a defender anticipates a route, or has a good idea of the play, he simply can't hang. The plays are also intentionally repetitive. It's a trick that they've borrowed from the old K-Gun offense that the Bills ran in their heyday (GMd by Polian). So they get to see their plays many times against many different coverages. Because of this, Manning should automatically know what receiver to look too once he gets a read on the D. Meanwhile, because the pass plays and the routes running of the WRs looks so similar, the D is often on their heels - they never quite know what will change. It's all the same. It minimizes their defensive playbook.
The Patriots? Totally opposite. They are an NFL run-n-shoot style offense. The basic philosophy? No play is the wrong play, because every play changes post-snap. Welker recently stated that on every play he can have as many as
half a dozen different routes that he can select....based on the post snap read.
The Pats Offense is so flexible post-snap, they can get away with having less physically gifted receivers as long as they know how to read a D and find the seams in it by allowing the "moving parts" after the snap. The Colts offense is faster and more agile, but not flexible after the snap. Peyton has to select the correct play. Yet, because it's so repetitive by nature, it is essential to have elite talent at the receiver position. Even when the D has a good idea of whats coming, it's essential that the receivers can simply out run, and out execute the DBs. That's where the Colts deadly precision and timing pays off.
With NE, it's about reading the D post-snap and selecting the proper route. That's why our WRs have 6 routes at a time. That's why our guys are known for the ability to read a D, rather than physical attributes.....
