Broncos run roughshod over Cowboys
Dolphins rally spoils Chargers’ LA opener
LOS ANGELES: Quarterback Trevor Siemian threw for four touchdowns on Sunday as the Broncos dominated the Dallas Cowboys 42-17 in an NFL contest disrupted by threatening lightning in Denver.
Siemian completed 22 of 32 passes for 231 yards. He threw touchdown passes of 10 and six yards to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and connected with scoring passes to CJ Anderson and Vigil Green.
That was more than enough to counter a fumble and an interception by Siemian that led to Dallas touchdowns.
Denver’s defence rubbed it in as cornerback Aqib Talib returned an interception 102 yards for a touchdown in the final minute, moving in front of Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott’s pass intended for Dez Bryant in the end zone and racing down the sideline to score.
Dallas running back Ezekiel Elliott, playing as his challenge of a six-game suspension by the NFL winds through the courts, wasn’t a factor, amassing only eight yards on nine carries.
“He had nine carries for eight yards? Wow. Damn, that’s crazy,” linebacker Brandon Marshall said. “We are the best defence in the NFL. I don’t know how many times we have to say it. I saw the picks on the NFL Network, everyone picked the Cowboys. Everyone thinks Dak is this and Zeke is that. They are good players, don’t get me wrong.”
At Carson, Cody Parkey hit his fourth field goal from 54 yards with 1:05 minutes to play as the Miami Dolphins rallied in the fourth quarter to spoil the Los Angeles Chargers’ home opener with a 19-17 victory.
The Chargers’ South Korea-born placekicker Younghoe Koo missed a 44-yard field goal attempt with five seconds left after Philip Rivers manoeuvred the Chargers (0-2) into scoring range in the final minute before a crowd of 25,381 in their first home game since relocating to the Los Angeles area after 56 seasons in San Diego.
At New Orleans, bouncing back with a vengeance from a season-opening loss, New England’s Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter for the first time in his career and eclipsed 300 yards passing in the first half for only the second time in his team’s 36-20 win over the Saints.
Brady’s maiden Super Bowl triumph in the Superdome back in February 2002 is bound to be one of his fondest memories. But the 18-year veteran looked like a superior QB in his latest visit. He finished 30 of 39 for 447 yards without an interception — at least not one that counted.
At Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes, Le’Veon Bell ran for 87 yards and the Steelers kept Minnesota in check in a 26-9 win.
At Seattle, Russell Wilson avoided two potential sacks and found Paul Richardson in the front corner of the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown with 7:06 minutes left as the Seahawks won 12-9 against San Francisco.
At Atlanta, Matt Ryan and the Falcons picked up where they left off against the Green Bay Packers, building a big halftime on the way to a dominating 34-23 victory.
At Los Angeles, Kirk Cousins threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Grant with 1:49 minutes to play to give the Redskins a 27-20 victory against their former assistant coach, Rams and rookie head coach Sean McVay.
Chiefs rookie Kareem Hunt reached the end zone twice, Travis Kelce took a shovel pass 15 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and hosts Kansas City held on to win 27-20 against Philadelphia.
Carson Palmer’s late rally got the Cardinals into overtime and Tyrann Mathieu’s interception set up Phil Dawson for a 30-yard field goal to win 16-13 against the Colts.