SAN DIEGO—Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers solved their Patriots problem and perhaps saved their season.

Rivers threw three touchdown passes and San Diego’s defense stuffed quarterback Matt Cassel on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line to highlight a 30-10 win over the Patriots on Sunday night.

It was a measure of payback against a team that had beaten the Chargers three straight times, including in the playoffs the last two seasons.