INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Interstat) — C.J. Stroud threw five touchdown passes and the Houston Texans pulled away from the Los Angeles Chargers for a 44-22 victory on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. Houston improved to 3-5. Los Angeles fell to 0-8. An announced attendance of 67,590 watched the Texans score on their opening possession and answer each Chargers field-goal push with big plays through the air. Stroud, the Texans’ top star and an Inland Empire native, completed 21 of 35 passes for 384 yards and added 20 yards rushing. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound quarterback spread the ball to multiple receivers and kept Houston’s offense moving after an early exchange of field goals. Houston’s defense also made timely plays, including an interception, to keep the Chargers from building momentum. The Texans finished with a balanced scoring effort that included touchdowns from three different receivers and field goals from Ka’imi Fairbairn.

Houston struck first in the first quarter when Stroud found Xavier Hutchinson deep right for a 17-yard touchdown, and Fairbairn’s extra point made it 7-0. Cameron Dicker answered with a 52-yard field goal for the Chargers, but Fairbairn connected from 56 yards later in the quarter to restore a seven-point cushion. In the second quarter, Dicker made field goals of 33 and 43 yards to bring Los Angeles within 10-9. Houston then seized control. Stroud hit Tank Dell deep right for a 63-yard touchdown, and after another defensive stop he found Kayshon Boutte on a short left pass that turned into a 12-yard score. Fairbairn’s extra points made it 24-9 at halftime, putting the Texans in command despite the Chargers’ early success on field goals. The second-quarter touchdown passes came in quick succession and changed the game’s complexion after Los Angeles had cut the lead to one point.

Houston opened the second half with another touchdown drive, capped when Stroud found Nico Collins on a short left pass for a 13-yard score. Early in the fourth quarter, Stroud again connected with Boutte, this time on a deep middle pass for 63 yards and a touchdown that extended the Texans’ lead. The Chargers finally reached the end zone when Justin Herbert hit Quentin Johnston on a short right pass for a 58-yard touchdown, but the two-point conversion attempt failed when Herbert’s pass to Oronde Gadsden was incomplete. Fairbairn added a 31-yard field goal for Houston. Los Angeles answered with DJ Uiagalelei’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Derius Davis, and Dicker’s extra point cut into the margin. Fairbairn closed the scoring with a 41-yard field goal in the final minutes. Houston’s pass rush and secondary limited the Chargers after their two late touchdowns, and Fairbairn’s final kick capped the scoring.

Stroud’s five touchdown passes paced Houston. Dell finished with four receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown. Boutte had four catches for 125 yards and two scores. Collins added four receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown, while Hutchinson had three catches for 29 yards and a score and returned a kickoff 28 yards. Houston’s defense received nine tackles from Azeez Al-Shaair, six from Jalen Pitre, five from Calen Bullock, five from Henry To’oTo’o, five from M.J. Stewart and four from Derek Stingley Jr., who also intercepted a pass. Stewart recorded a sack. Tommy Togiai added four tackles, and Kai Kroeger punted three times for 106 yards. Dalton Schultz caught two passes for 42 yards, and Marvin Harrison Jr. added two receptions for 20 yards. Dare Ogunbowale had one reception for 3 yards and one tackle. Tank Dell also returned two punts for 1 yard. The Texans controlled the game after halftime and prevented Los Angeles from turning its early field goals into sustained pressure.

Herbert completed 13 of 23 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown and ran for 7 yards for the Chargers. Uiagalelei completed 2 of 7 passes for 24 yards and a touchdown. Daiyan Henley led Los Angeles with 10 tackles and an interception. Marlowe Wax had eight tackles, Elijah Molden and RJ Mickens each had six, and Tarheeb Still and Tony Jefferson each had five. Jefferson added a half-sack. Cameron Dicker made all three of his field-goal attempts. Quentin Johnston caught a 58-yard touchdown pass, Derius Davis caught a 15-yard touchdown pass, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith had a 50-yard reception. Keaton Mitchell rushed for 33 yards and caught three passes for 34 yards, while Omarion Hampton ran for 60 yards on 13 carries. Kimani Vidal added 30 rushing yards, six receiving yards and 98 kickoff-return yards. Charlie Kolar had three receptions for 31 yards and a 3-yard run. JK Scott punted four times for 189 yards. Tre’ Harris caught three passes for 6 yards, and Oronde Gadsden added two receptions for 17 yards. Cam Hart and Del’Shawn Phillips each finished with four tackles. Justin Eboigbe, Akheem Mesidor, Teair Tart and Rodney Shelley each had two tackles. Donte Jackson, Jamaree Caldwell, Tuli Tuipulotu, Khalil Mack, Hayden Rucci, Dalvin Tomlinson and Bud Dupree each had one tackle, and Caleb Murphy added a half-sack.

Houston’s previous game was an overtime loss to the New York Giants. The Texans had beaten Jacksonville and Tennessee before that. Los Angeles had lost its most recent game to the Rams and remained winless after earlier setbacks to Kansas City, Denver, Seattle, Buffalo, Las Vegas and Arizona. The Chargers moved the ball at times through Herbert and Uiagalelei but could not keep pace after Houston’s second-quarter surge.

The result came after Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Los Angeles Chargers 27, Houston 24. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Houston with a 58.7 percent probability to win. Houston had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 5. The total score of 66 went under the over/under line of 40.5.