Broncos roll
Anderson, Talib run past Cowboys
DENVER — Trevor Siemian tied a career high with four touchdown passes and the Denver Broncos held Ezekiel Elliott to the worst game of his career — 8 yards on nine carries — in a 42-17 blowout of the Dallas Cowboys yesterday in a game that included an hour-long lightning delay.
Aqib Talib’s 103-yard interception return for a touchdown with 53 seconds left was the final indignity for the Cowboys (1-1), who watched Von Miller end a careerlong five-game sackless streak by dumping Dak Prescott twice.
Elliott, who’s playing while his appeal of a six-game suspension for domestic violence works its way through the courts, came into the game averaging 108 yards rushing per game and more than 5 yards per carry in his career.
The star in the backfield on this day was C.J. Anderson, who rushed for 118 yards and a score and also caught a touchdown pass for the Broncos, whose only big blemish in their fifth straight 2-0 start was the left leg injury to tackle Garett Bolles, their No. 1 draft pick who got hurt on the opening drive of the second half.
Two plays after Bolles was carted off, Siemian found Virgil Green for a 2-yard score. Chris Harris Jr.’s interception set up Anderson’s 22-yard touchdown run that made it 35-10.
The Cowboys pulled to 35-17 on Jason Witten’s 28-yard catch that was set up by rookie Jourdan Lewis’ interception when the receiver he was covering slipped.
The Cowboys looked nothing like the team that dominated the Giants in their opener. They were seeking their first win in Denver since 1992 and instead lost to the Broncos for the sixth straight time.
Siemian threw scoring strikes of 10 and 6 yards to Emmanuel Sanders as the Broncos built a 21-10 halftime lead.
The Cowboys were lucky to be that close after a first half in which they managed just five first downs, converted one third down and were outgained 246 yards to 97.
The only touchdown for Dallas came on a 3-yard drive after DeMarcus Lawrence’s strip sack of Siemian. Maliek Collins scooped up the loose ball, and two plays later Dez Bryant beat Talib.
The teams were sent to their locker rooms with 33 seconds left in the first quarter due to lightning.