Philip Rivers threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns as the San Diego Chargers outslugged the Houston Texans, 29-23, on Sunday.

Veteran tight end Randy McMichael started in place of injured Antonio Gates and caught two touchdown passes and rookie Seyi Ajirotutu caught two more for the Chargers (3-5), who have won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Rivers threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first quarter, but it was the Texans who claimed a 20-14 lead after Arian Foster scored his second touchdown of the half. Neil Rackers added a field goal just before halftime.

Houston (4-4) stretched it to 23-14 with a field goal in the third before San Diego began to jump back in.

Rivers found McMichael down the middle with a 12-yard scoring pass three minutes later to give San Diego a 23-21 lead. The Chargers took the lead in the fourth quarter with 5:17 left in the game when Rivers and Ajirotutu hooked up for a 28-yard score.

The Texans had a chance with under two minutes left but Matt Schaub’s pass went off Andre Johnson’s knee and was picked off by Paul Oliver in the red zone to seal the win.