GLENDALE, Ariz. — Emmanuel Sanders threw and caught touchdown passes, Denver returned two interceptions for first-quarter touchdowns and the Broncos snapped a four-game losing streak with a 45-10 rout of the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night.
Todd Davis returned rookie Josh Rosen’s deflected pass for a touchdown on the second play of the game and Chris Harris Jr. took another back 53 yards for a score with 2:02 left in the quarter as the Broncos (3-4) opened a 21-3 lead.
Rosen threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball away twice on a rough night that began badly for him and never got better. He limped off the field after he was sacked for the fifth time, on a fourth-and-16 play near the end of the game.
The Cardinals (1-6), down 35-3 at the half, fell to 0-4 at home for the first time since 1979.
Case Keenum completed 14 of 21 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown with one interception for Denver. Phillip Lindsay rushed for 90 yards on 14 carries, including a 28-yard TD run.
Rosen had called a time out after the game’s first play. Then his pass was deflected by the outstretched hand of defensive end Derek Wolfe. The ball dropped into the hands of Davis, who ran it in from there.
Arizona followed with a three-and-out and the Broncos quickly made it 14-0 with a six-play, 77-yard drive. Sanders took the ball on an end around and threw to a wide open Courtland Sutton 28 yards for the touchdown.
The receiver may have run the wrong route on Rosen’s second “pick six.” In a third-and-1 situation from Arizona’s 46, Rosen passed but there was no one near the ball except Harris, who returned it 53 yards to make it 21-3.
The Broncos made it 28-3 in the second quarter when Keenum found Harris wide open on a 64-yard TD play, the Denver receiver doing a front flip over the goal line.
A pass interference play against Bene Benwikere in the end zone set up Royce Freeman’s 1-yard TD run that made it 35-3 with 21 seconds left in the half. The run capped a 15-play, 70-yard drive that used up 6:39.
The Arizona fans booed as the team left the field for the half, while there were cheers from the sizable contingent of orange-clad Broncos supporters.
COWBOYS: Receiver Terrance Williams has been suspended three games for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, a ban he will serve while on injured reserve because of lingering issues from offseason surgery for a broken right foot.
The league said Thursday the suspension will be in effect Sunday when the Cowboys visit Washington.
After Dallas’ open week and a home game against Tennessee, the final game of the ban will be Nov. 11 at Philadelphia.
But Williams will miss at least three more games after that while on injured reserve. His first possible game is Dec. 9 at home against the Eagles.
Williams was arrested in May on a charge of public intoxication in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, where team headquarters is located. The case was dismissed after Williams completed a state-mandated alcohol awareness education course.
SAINTS: New Orleans placed veteran receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who has been struggling with knee soreness, on injured reserve.
Ginn has played in four games this season, catching 12 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns, but has regularly appeared on New Orleans’ official injury report since early in Week 2.
Ginn’s production had largely dipped since Week 2 and he did not have a reception in Week 4 before sitting out a Week 5 triumph over Washington.
BROWNS: Starting cornerback E.J. Gaines will miss Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay because of a concussion, further challenging a Cleveland defense also without Pro Bowl linebacker Joe Schobert, who could be out several weeks with a hamstring injury.
BENGALS: With their secondary depleted by injuries, the Bengals signed cornerback KeiVarae Russell off the practice squad for an upcoming game in Kansas City.
Russell was the Chiefs’ third-round pick in 2016.
JETS: Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers says he is feeling better following a “procedure” to help deal with an unspecified illness.
Rodgers returned to work this week on a full-time basis after missing the team’s past two games. He and Coach Todd Bowles will determine over the next few days whether Rodgers will call the defensive plays against Minnesota on Sunday.
Rodgers declined to provide details about the exact nature of his illness, saying he preferred to keep it private.
RAIDERS: The Raiders have been fined $20,000 for not downgrading guard Kelechi Osemele to out for a Week 5 game.
A person with knowledge of the fine told The Associated Press that the team violated the league’s injury report policy by not moving Osemele from questionable to out. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the NFL has not announced the fine.
The Raiders lost to the Chargers in the road game, 26-10.
Osemele has been bothered by a knee injury and also did not play in Oakland’s game at London on Sunday, a loss to Seattle.
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