INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — C.J. Stroud had been feeling lousy all week, barely practiced and woke up with chills on game day. Then he had his version of Michael Jordan's flu game.
Stroud threw five touchdown passes, including a pair of season-best 63-yarders to Tank Dell and Kayshon Boutte, and the Houston Texans routed the winless Los Angeles Chargers 44-22 on Sunday.
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by Houston Texans defensive end Logan during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
A fan wears a paper bag over their head during the first half of an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Houston Texans in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (1) scores a touchdown past Los Angeles Chargers safety Genesis Smith (22) and cornerback Elijah Molden (2) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) celebrates after sacking Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during the first half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) rolls out during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
“I don't know what I had, but was not feeling good,” Stroud said. “My teammates really helped me. Just to have that type of performance under the weather a little bit was to me a testament to our team and our resilience.”
Throwing to four different receivers, Stroud came up one TD short of the franchise record of six TDs. He smiled at the comparison to Jordan, who overcame flu-like symptoms to famously score 38 points for the Chicago Bulls in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals.
“Not there yet,” he said, “but maybe one day.”
Stroud completed 21 of 35 passes for 384 yards with one interception and one sack.
“I beat myself up a lot when I don’t do great, so I’m going to enjoy this,” he said, eager to reunite with friends and family after the game not far from his hometown of Rancho Cucamonga.
Houston (3-5) has won three of four after starting the season 0-4.
“I’m proud of our guys for getting back to repping our style of play,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “C.J. has brought elite execution and playmaking ability. He really gives that confidence to the entire team.”
The Chargers (0-8) ended a 37-drive touchdown drought — second-longest in NFL history — when Quentin Johnston caught Justin Herbert's 58-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter. It was their first TD since Oct. 11 against Denver. Their 22 points were the second most they've scored in a game this season.
“That was a positive,” coach Jim Harbaugh said.
Soon after, Herbert was wearing a large white glove on his left hand to protect a finger taped by trainers. “Shouldn't be an issue,” he said afterward. He was replaced by DJ Uiagalelei, who threw his first career TD pass, 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-best 52-yarder, 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, second-most in the league.
“I could have done a better job of getting the ball out quicker,” Herbert said. “I mean, they’re very good. They have a premier pass rush, and I got to do a better job getting the ball out.”
Boos cascaded down 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.
“We’ll have to figure it out and keep looking and doing our best to keep getting better because it hasn’t been good enough yet,” Herbert said.
Coming off their bye week, the Texans scored on their opening drive, with Stroud hitting Xavier Hutchinson for a 17-yard score after the Chargers' self-inflicted face mask penalty away from the play.
Stroud was intercepted for just the second time this season by Daiyan Henley in the first quarter.
On their ensuing possession, the Bolts trailed 10-9 on Dicker's 43-yard field goal.
But the Texans answered right back, with Dell scoring his first TD since a devastating knee injury in 2024 to cap a two-play, 43-second drive and extend the lead to 17-9.
Houston blew past its status as a 5 1/2-point favorite just before halftime, when Boutte caught his first TD of the season, a 12-yarder from Stroud that capped a seven-play, 76-yard, 34-second drive and made it 24-9.
Boutte's second TD 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 hurt late in the game.
Chargers: CB Isas Waxter (ankle) got hurt in the first quarter and didn't return. ... DL Justin Eboigbe (ankle) got hurt in the first quarter, but returned. ... WR Ladd McConkey was active, but had back spasms before kickoff and didn't play.
Texans: Visit Cleveland next Sunday.
Chargers: Visit Baltimore in a matchup against former Bolts defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by Houston Texans defensive end Logan during the second half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
A fan wears a paper bag over their head during the first half of an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Houston Texans in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (1) scores a touchdown past Los Angeles Chargers safety Genesis Smith (22) and cornerback Elijah Molden (2) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (98) celebrates after sacking Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during the first half of an NFL football game in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) rolls out during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
