Hazard's Huddle: RT Tom Compton vs. Dallas Cowboys (2nd Half)

If you were on Hogs Haven yesterday, you saw my breakdown of Tom Compton's first half vs the Cowboys. If you didn't see it, you can find it HERE. Continuing where I left off, let's see how Compton held up in the second half.

1. Here is Tom Compton in pass protection.

Colt McCoy trips during the play-action which messes up his drop. Still, Compton has flat feet on this play (not something he normally does) and lets the DE bend the edge.

When McCoy recovers from the trip, he feels the pressure from Compton's man and just decides to run it.

2. We saw a play very similar to this in the first breakdown where Alfred Morris committed upfield too hard and ended up tripping trying to get to the outside. Compton is going to help seal the DE outside for Logan Paulsen then go to the second level on this zone right run.

Compton helps give Paulsen inside leverage and releases to the second level.

The LB tries cutting inside so Compton seals him inside and Morris is able to get outside for a big gain.

3. Tom Compton in pass protection again.

Compton actually gets a good punch into the defender's chest which knocks him off balance.

Compton finishes the block by riding him outside and pushing him to the ground.

4. Here is a read-option near the end zone. Compton is going to leave the DE unblocked and go straight to the second level. Colt McCoy will be reading that unblocked DE.

The DE stays with McCoy outside so he hands it off the Morris. Compton gets a good block on the second level freeing up the outside.

Morris walks in for a touchdown.

5. Compton wasn't flagged for a false start in the first half (even though he should have). On this play, he gets called for the false start.

6. Compton in pass protection.

The defender starts out wide and takes a hard line towards Compton's inside shoulder so Compton steps in to take away that gap but the Cowboys defender does an extremely quick spin move as Compton extends.

Compton is already too far inside so the spin move gives the defender a lane to the QB.

McCoy is able to get the pass off but he would have been in trouble if he had to hold the ball.

7. Here is a Power Run. Compton is suppose to seal the DT inside so that Shawn Lauvao can pull through the hole and get a block on the second level.

Unfortunately, Compton undercuts the DT and goes right past him.

When Lauvao pulls around, he know has to block the guy that Compton missed which ends up plugging up the hole. Morris finds a cutback lane though.

8. Here is Compton blocking on a outside zone right. Anthony Spencer is going to make a hard inside move.

Compton is beat off the snap but doesn't give up on the play.

Since Compton doesn't give up, he's able to keep enough contact with Spencer that Spencer can't reach Morris and Morris is able to get to the outside.

9. Compton in pass protection against George Selvie.

Selvie does a good job of extending his arms to get separation from Compton but Compton keeps his feet moving.

Even with the extension, Compton is able to control Selvie and as McCoy throws, Compton has complete control.

10. If you saw the last breakdown, you would know Compton had been handling stunts well. Let's see how he does here.

Compton forms a wall with Chester to protect that inside gap. The Cowboys defender doesn't even engage in it, and Compton gets Henry Melton who is looping around.

I'd say Compton did another good job picking up the stunt and giving McCoy PLENTY of room to throw.

11. I don't know if Tom Compton has seen this one before. This time the stunt comes from the backside DT while the frontside DT and DE crash inside hard.

Compton rides the DE hard inside because he sees the frontside DT is also crashing. He doesn't see the backside DT looping around.

Compton is late in recognizing the stunt. Compton does recover enough to make a desperation push past the QB but this will be something he will learn to recognize with reps.

12. Here is a Sweep Right. Tom Compton's blocking responsibility is Anthony Spencer.

But, while everyone moves right to block for the right sweep, Compton goes left.

He then runs right into the back of Kory Lichtensteiger while Anthony Spencer has a free run to Alfred Morris.

13. Compton in pass protection again.

Compton does a good job with his hands and his feet on this play.

The defender is able to disengage but look how far it puts him from rushing and the QB. No threat as McCoy is about to let the ball go.

14. Here is Compton run blocking on a zone right.

Good first contact but Spencer isn't backing up and is reading Morris over Compton's shoulder.

When Spencer sees Morris getting the hand off, he just chucks Compton to the side.

Compton doesn't give up on the play though and keeps enough contact with Spencer that Spencer actually has to grab Morris by the facemask (which wasn't called) to bring him down.

Overall, this was a good game for Tom Compton. While the Cowboys don't have the most talented front, they have still been productive this season. Compton excelled at picking up stunts and not giving up on plays. While he made some mistakes, most of them look correctable through coaching and live reps. One worry moving forward may be functional strength. I think he may have a hard time with bull rushes and that's why we're see some of the things we're seeing but that will be something we continue to monitor as the season progresses.