Dak Prescott set the NFL record for the fewest interceptions in the first 500 attempts to start a career, but that was about all the good news there was for the Cowboys offense in the first half.
The Cowboys had only five first downs and 97 yards in the first half, with Denver holding Ezekiel Elliott to 5 yards on four carries. In fact, Prescott was the Cowboys’ leading rusher with 7 yards on his only carry.
Prescott was 14-for-20 for 85 yards with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant. That was the Cowboys’ only touchdown of the first half as they trailed 21-10 at intermission. Dallas touchdown followed a fumble recovery at the Denver 3-yard line, as DeMarcus Lawrence sacked Trevor Siemian, and Maliek Collins had a 6-yard fumble return with Ron Leary making the tackle.
Siemian went 16-for-21 for 179 yards and three touchdowns in the first half against a defense that played much of the game with only two healthy cornerbacks. Safety Xavier Woods played the nickel when Nolan Carroll and Chidobe Awuzie went out. (Carroll returned after being checked for a concussion and then left again with a concussion after teammate Jeff Heath hit him. He will not return, the team announced.)
The game was delayed by lightning for an hour and two minutes at the end of the first quarter.
