GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Bo Nix ran for a 62-yard touchdown, RJ Harvey turned a short screen pass into a 52-yard touchdown and the Denver Broncos used a handful of big offensive plays to beat the Arizona Cardinals 30-16 on Sunday.
The Cardinals have lost 10 straight home games in a streak that's lasted 406 days.
The Broncos (5-2) have struggled on offense for most of this season and that trend continued for part of Sunday's game, but Nix and Harvey took
advantage of costly mistakes by the Cardinals' defense to get things moving.
Denver has won three straight. Its defense was dominant once again with 12 quarterback hits, six tackles for a loss and three sacks.
Nix's long touchdown run came late in the second quarter, giving the Broncos a 13-6 lead. He dropped back to pass and then stepped up in pocket, surging forward when a huge patch of grass appeared. No one on the Cardinals' defense was near him until a few yards before the end zone, when he sidestepped a tackle and tumbled forward for the touchdown.
The 62-yard run was the longest of his career. He had just 37 yards rushing combined over his first six games of the season.
Denver extended its lead to 20-6 midway through the third quarter when Harvey caught a short screen pass, took advantage of plenty of blocking and ran untouched to the end zone.
Nix finished 15 of 29 passing for 222 yards. He also had 73 yards rushing.
The Cardinals (2-5) cut the deficit to 20-13 later in the third on Trey McBride's 7-yard touchdown catch. Denver responded with a 76-yard touchdown drive — highlighted by a 47-yard pass from Nix to Marvin Mims Jr. — for a 27-13 lead and controlled the game from that point forward.
The Broncos took an early 6-0 lead on a pair of field goals during a flag-filled first quarter that included 10 penalties — five on each team.
The Cardinals cut the deficit to 6-3 early in the second, settling for a 30-yard field goal after running back Bam Knight dropped a potential touchdown catch in the end zone on third down.
Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett finished with 272 yards passing and a touchdown, but the Cardinals were just 5 of 17 on third down. McBride caught 10 passes for 111 yards.
Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony at State Farm Stadium. Fitzgerald — one of the greatest receivers in NFL history — finished his career with 17,492 yards receiving and 121 touchdowns.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame over the summer.
Broncos: DL Malcolm Roach was evaluated for a concussion, but returned to the game.
Cardinals: Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love missed his second straight game with a sore ankle.
Broncos: Host Kansas City next Sunday.
Cardinals: At Dallas next Sunday.
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