HUNGRY TALIB CLIMBS NFL CHART
As Aqib Talib was finishing his 103-yard interception return in the final minute of Sunday’s 42-17 victory over the Cowboys, hunger struck Denver’s all-pro cornerback.
“I was going to run up in them stands and get me a hot dog,” Talib said. “That was my initial plan.”
Talib settled for celebrating his 10th career pick-six — the fourthmost in NFL history — by jumping into the first row of Broncos fans behind the end zone. The touchdown put Talib ahead of Deion Sanders on the league’s all-time list.
“Man, that’s my idol,” Talib said of Sanders. “I talk to him all the time. I grew up watching him. Just to be mentioned in the same sentence with him, it’s wonderful.”
Talib nearly had interceptions on two separate passes from Dak Prescott earlier in the game, and he admitted he got ahead of himself on those plays.
“I was so anxious to get to the end zone,” he said. “I was looking straight ahead to the end zone. I’m glad I got my hands on that last one.”
Only Rod Woodson (12), Darren Sharper (11) and Charles Woodson (11) have more career interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Broncos stay loose during delay.
A 62-minute lightning delay came at the end of the first quarter during Sunday’s game, but the Broncos said they never tightened up in the locker room.
“The first thing we did was turn the AC off,” coach Vance Joseph said. “We wanted the guys to stay warm. We turned the football games on. The guys relaxed and hung out and talked among each other.”
The Broncos led 7-0 when the delay was called with 33 seconds remaining in the first quarter, and they extended the lead to 21-7 with 1:38 left in the second quarter.
Dynamic duo.
C.J. Anderson ran for 118 yards Sunday, his most since running for 168 yards against Kansas City on Nov. 30, 2014.
But Anderson wasn’t the only Broncos running back doing damage. Jamaal Charles rushed for 46 yards on nine carries and caught one pass for 6 yards, an average of 5.2 yards per touch. Charles had 40 yards on 10 carries in the opener and has provided a punch off the bench when spelling Anderson.
Rookie running back De’Angelo Henderson was active Sunday but did not have a rushing attempt for the second straight week.
Turnovers hurt.
For the second straight game, the Broncos committed two turnovers in their own end of the field.
The first came in the first quarter, when Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence blew by right tackle Menelik Watson and stripped quarterback Trevor Siemian. Dallas recovered at the 3-yard line and scored a game-tying touchdown two plays later.
The Broncos led 35-10 in the fourth quarter when Siemian was intercepted by Jourdan Lewis, who took advantage of an apparent miscommunication between Siemian and Demaryius Thomas and returned the ball to the Broncos’ 25-yard line. Dallas scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive.
“Until we don’t turn the ball over and play better defense, I won’t be that pleased,” Joseph said.