The Sports Xchange
Sep 25, 2016
CINCINNATI -- Trevor Siemian passed for 312 yards and four touchdowns in his first career road start, lifting the Denver Broncos to a 29-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.
After playing well in his first two starts after taking over for future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, Siemian passed another test on Sunday, going 23 for 35 against a formidable Bengals defense.
Siemian sealed the victory with a 55-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on third-and-11 with 4:23 remaining in the game. Thomas had six catches for 100 yards.
Emmanuel Sanders had nine catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns for Denver (3-0) which improved to 21-9 all-time vs. Cincinnati.
Nine penalties hurt Cincinnati (1-2), which finally got its running game going with 97 yards and two touchdowns from Jeremy Hill.
The Bengals ranked second to last in the NFL in rushing coming into the game. But, they outrushed the Broncos 103 to 27 in the first half, including a 50-yard run by Hill, who later scored from three yards out to put Cincinnati ahead 7-0.
Denver limited the Bengals just 16 yards on the ground after halftime, however.
Five of Denver's first downs Sunday resulted from Bengals penalties, including 24 yards on one drive which ended with a Broncos' field goal. Cincinnati was penalized nine times for 69 yards.
Momentum shifted in the second quarter when Broncos' safety Shiloh Keo recovered Adam Jones' fumbled punt at the Bengals' 46. Siemian's 41-yard touchdown pass to Sanders put Denver ahead 10-7.
A 22-yard pass from Andy Dalton to C.J. Uzomah set up Hill's second touchdown, a 4-yard run, to put Cincinnati ahead 14-10 late in the first half.
Siemian's second touchdown pass, a 7-yard completion to Sanders, put the Broncos back in front with 28 seconds left in the first half. The extra point was blocked by Margus Hunt, making the score 16-14.
Both quarterbacks were kept clean until Dalton was sacked by Shane Ray on consecutive plays in the third quarter and Siemian was dropped by Carlos Dunlap later in the third.
Mike Nugent's 34-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter capped a 15-play, eight-minute drive to put Cincinnati ahead 17-16.
Siemian answered with an 82-yard drive capped by John Phillips' 1-yard touchdown catch. The two-point attempt failed, giving Denver a 22-17 lead.
NOTES: Bengals TE Tyler Kroft started ahead of C.J. Uzomah. Tyler Eifert practiced this week for the first time since undergoing offseason ankle surgery, but was inactive for Sunday's game. ... TE John Phillips started for the Broncos in place of injured Virgil Green and RT Ty Sambrailo started for Donald Stephenson. ... Broncos LB Brandon Marshall kneeled down during the National Anthem and S T.J. Ward raised his first. All Bengals players stood during the Anthem with no noticeable form of protest.