INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) CJ Stroud threw five touchdown passes, including a season-best 63 yards to Tank Dell and Kayshon Boutte, and the Houston Texans routed the winless Los Angeles Chargers 44-22 on Sunday and sent Los Angeles to its eighth straight loss in front of booing fans at SoFi Stadium.
Stroud completed 21 of 35 passes for 384 yards with one interception and one sack. Houston (3-5) has won three of four after starting the season 0-4.
The Chargers ended a 37-touchdown drought — the second longest in NFL history — when Quentin Johnston caught Justin Herbert’s 58-yard pass in the fourth quarter. It was their first touchdown since October 11 against Denver. Their 22 points were the second-highest total they had scored in a game this season.
Soon after, Herbert wore a large white glove on his left hand to protect a finger taped by coaches. He was replaced by DJ Uiagalelei, who threw his first career touchdown, a 15-yarder to Derius Davis, his first scoring catch since December 2024.
The Chargers had scored 24 points on field goals during their TD drought. Cameron Dicker had three, including a season-high 52 yards, on Sunday.
Herbert finished 13 of 23 for 193 yards and an interception and was sacked a career-high eight times. He has been sacked 31 times this season, the second most in the league.
Boos poured out from the upper levels of SoFi Stadium, where the Bolts haven’t won since last December. Los Angeles, which lost its final three games last season, tied a franchise record with an 11-game losing streak, set in 2000.
At the end of their bye week, the Texans scored on their first drive, with Stroud hitting Xavier Hutchinson for a 17-yard score after the Chargers’ self-inflicted facemask penalty off the play.
Stroud was intercepted for just the second time this season by Daiyan Henley in the first quarter.
On the ensuing possession, the Bolts trailed 10-9 on Dicker’s 43-yard field goal.
But the Texans responded immediately, with Dell scoring his first touchdown in more than two years to cap a two-play, 43-second drive and extend the lead to 17-9.
Houston surpassed its 5 1/2-point favorite status just before halftime, when Boutte caught his first touchdown of the season, a 12-yarder from Stroud that capped a seven-play, 76-yard, 34-second drive and made the score 24-9.
Boutte’s second catch, a 63-yard pass from Stroud, came in the fourth.
Embattled Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel moved from the field to the booth to call plays for the first time this season.
Texans: CB Derek Stingley Jr. was injured late in the game.
Chargers: CB Isas Waxter (ankle) was injured in the first quarter and did not return. … DL Justin Eboigbe (ankle) was injured in the first quarter, but returned. … WR Ladd McConkey was active, but had back spasms before kickoff and did not play.
Texans: Visit Cleveland next Sunday.
Chargers: Visit Baltimore in a matchup against former Bolts defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
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