Dallas Cowboys vs Denver Broncos Match Player Stats On Sep 17, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 17, 2017

DENVER -- Quarterback Trevor Siemian shook off a pair of costly turnovers to throw for four touchdowns, and the Denver Broncos dominated the Dallas Cowboys in a 42-17 victory on Sunday in a game that was suspended for about an hour due to the danger of lightning strikes in the area.

Denver's defense capped its performance with a flourish as cornerback Aqib Talib returned an interception 102 yards for a touchdown, stepping in front of Dak Prescott's end-zone pass intended for Dez Bryant and sprinting down the sideline for the score. He leaped into the end-zone seats to celebrate.

Siemian completed 22 of 32 for 231 yards and had touchdown passes of 10 and 6 yards to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, along with a 16-yard scoring pass to C.J. Anderson and 2 yards to tight end Virgil Green.

It was more than enough to overcome a fumble and an interception by Siemian that led to Dallas touchdowns, including Prescott's 28-yard scoring pass to tight end Jason Witten early in the fourth quarter.

Anderson ran for 118 yards and a touchdown, and he had three receptions for 36 yards and a score, outperforming his Dallas counterpart, Ezekiel Elliott, who ran into a defensive buzz-saw and was limited to 8 yards rushing on nine carries.

Prescott finished with 238 yards passing, completing 30 of 50 with two interceptions for Dallas (1-1). The game was interrupted late in the first quarter when weather forecasters warned of a severe lightning storm in the area and officials ordered both teams to leave the field and wait out the storm in their respective locker rooms.

Once the storm passed, play was resumed.

Both teams were hit hard by injuries over the course of the game. Denver lost rookie left tackle Garett Bolles to a lower left leg injury -- he had to be carted off the field. And the Cowboys lost cornerbacks Nolan Carroll (concussion) and rookie Chidobe Awuzie (hamstring) after coming into the game without cornerback Orlando Scandrick, who broke his left hand in the season-opening win over the New York Giants.

Leading by 11 points, the Broncos pulled away to a 35-10 lead with 14 points in the third quarter. Siemian finished off a 75-yard march by rolling out and hitting Green with a 2-yard touchdown pass.

Anderson broke loose for a 23-yard touchdown run on a draw play, following lead blocks by guard Connor McGovern and Green to the end zone. The scoring possession began with cornerback Chris Harris Jr.'s interception of Prescott.

The Broncos (2-0) took a 21-10 halftime lead, with the Cowboys' lone touchdown of the half coming after DeMarcus Lawrence sacked Siemian, forcing a fumble that Maliek Collins scooped up and returned 6 yards to the Denver 3-yard line.

One play later, Prescott connected with Bryant, who beat 1-on-1 coverage by Talib.

Dallas also drove to a 56-yard field goal by Dan Bailey in the final seconds of the quarter.

Siemian hooked up twice in the first half with Sanders for touchdowns.

Midway through the second quarter, Brandon McManus kicked a 50-yard field goal that the Broncos opted to take down after the Cowboys were called for unsportsmanlike conduct for DeMarcus Lawrence's use of leverage to try to block the kick.

The penalty gave Denver a first down at the Dallas 17, and two plays later, Siemian spotted Anderson open in the flat and the Broncos running back gathered in the pass, cut back to the middle and charged 16 yards downfield for the touchdown.

NOTES: Broncos DE Zach Kerr missed a second consecutive game because of a bruised knee. The Broncos also were without CB Brendan Langley, who sustained a knee injury in last week's opener. ... LB Anthony Hitchens (knee) and CB Orlando Scandrick (hand) were listed among the Cowboys' inactive players for the game.