Andrew Luck is the beneficiary of Colts' 2012 tight end draft strategy
INDIANAPOLIS -- Ryan Grigson recalls the derision. What were the Indianapolis Colts doing doubling down on tight ends early in the 2012 draft?
The Colts general manager along with head coach Chuck Pagano were buttressing that draft's first overall pick, quarterback Andrew Luck, with pieces to build a Frankenstein offense that now leads the league averaging 444 yards and 34 points per game.
Luck's Stanford teammate, Coby Fleener was that draft's 34 th overall pick. Dwayne Allen came off the board 30 selections later.
"We took tight ends back to back and everyone thought we were crazy," Grigson told Paste BN Sports. "We're trying to be as versatile as possible because this league is all about attrition.
"The more versatile you are and the better and bigger mix of guys you can use to get your goal, the better."
Grigson is a sharp football architect who has given Luck a plethora of multi-dimensional weapons. Small wonder why the rifle-armed, third-year passer is on pace to throw for 52 touchdowns and 5,220 yards.
Fleener and Allen are causing double trouble.
Fleener is reminiscent of former Colts receiving tight end Dallas Clark, one of former Colt and current Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning's favorite targets. Allen is closer in frame and play type to former Colt tight end Marcus Pollard.
As former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator and former Cleveland Browns secondary coach, Pagano is well aware of the conflicts Fleener and Allen will create for Baltimore's second-ranked scoring defense in Sunday's meeting at Lucas Oil Stadium.
"I remember when I was in Cleveland and Baltimore, coming in here and playing ahgainst Pollard and Clark -- they were a nightmare," Pagano said. "The quarterback was something special and Pollard and Clark presented matchup issues.
"With our running backs Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw running the way they are, it's opening things on the outside. So the defense has to say, 'Okay, who do we want to take away?'"
The Colts have plenty of other weapons in receivers such as T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne and Hakeem Nicks, and the offense can match an opponent's size and speed.
Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton has multiple ways of deploying Fleener while Allen has doubled as an extra tackle as he did when the Colts came out running on the Philadelphia Eagles in a Week 3 loss.
"Their versatility is something we value in our offense and help Andrew know he has two guys who are big, fast and explosive matched up against linebackers and safeties in the middle of the field," Hamilton said. "Dwayne is an every-down tight end who can hold the point of attack in the run game and is fast enough to create separation from man coverage and stretch the field vertically."
Allen and Fleener have combined for 21 catches for 254 yards with five touchdowns.
"This offense is predicated on making defenses make a decision about who you want to try and stop," Fleener said. "We can also have three tight ends with Jack Doyle (6 catches, one touchdown) and mess with defenses a little more."
Allen, who is recovered from last year's Week 1 season-ending hip injury, is second on the Colts to Bradshaw's four receiving touchdowns with three. He has 11 receptions for 145 yards and his three touchdowns are tied for fourth among league tight ends.
"I'm just a blocking tight end," Allen says, laughing. "We're causing defenses fits."
No wonder Luck is on fire with eight touchdowns and one interception in consecutive wins and has thrown 17 passes of 20 or more yards through four games.
"You've got two special tight ends who are special in different ways," Wayne told Paste BN Sports. "Coby is that next tight end able to do what Tony Gonzalez could – you can split him out wide, he can jump, catch, run. Dwayne can block, catch and he's fresh.
"We're blessed with two tight ends who can create so many matchup nightmares. That tight-end package just adds to this offense we have."