SAN DIEGO –Those wondering why the San Diego Chargers are looking for their sixth win already need only look at No. 17 — quarterback Phillip Rivers.

When the Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, seeking to extend their longest winning streak since 2009, Rivers is the reason.

He has thrown 15 touchdowns against just two interceptions and that only tells half the story.

Given additional responsibilities and roles under coach Mike McCoy, now in his second year, Rivers is almost like another coach, not that this is too much for him. His father was a coach and he literally grew up on the football field.

So it is not surprising that Rivers is starting to sound like a coach, as he did when answering questions about his record-setting pace of play.

“I think collectively as a group we are playing good,” Rivers said, sidestepping talk of him being an MVP candidate. “You look at the few amount of drops we’ve had, guys catching the ball.

“The guys up front are doing a heck of a job protecting. I know we had one sack last week, but we are still real low in our sacks.”

So while Rivers distributes praise like he does the football, he remains clear of goal No. 1.

“We just got to keep it going,” said Rivers, who has a 120 passer ranking in a record five straight games. “Like I say every week, it is a week-to-week deal. As good as a stretch we have been on, we can have a hiccup any day so we got to keep the pressure on.”

Good approach against a desperate Chiefs team. If the Chiefs fall again in San Diego, K.C. falls 3 1/2 games out of first-place in the AFC West.

But with a win, the Chiefs are just 1 1/2 games shy of first, with a schedule that is easing up.

So it will be a focused Chiefs team the Chargers get. And they expect to get what they usually get when playing a divisional opponent.

“For some reason, Chargers-Chiefs, or all division games, they come down to that fourth quarter,” Rivers said.

That was true last week when the Chargers won No. 5 in the final two minutes against the overmatched Raiders.

This week, the Chargers opponent will be up a notch or two.

At least.

It’s clear the Chargers know they need to improve, too.

“I hope the place is cranked up,” Rivers said “and there is a playoff-type like atmosphere on Sunday.”

NOTE: Among those not practicing Wednesday were CB Brandon Flowers (groin), RB Donald Butler (concussion), OLB Jerry Attaochu (hamstring) and ILB Manti Te’o (foot), who is out indefinitely. … Among those limited in practice Wednesday were CBs Jason Verrett (shoulder) and Shareece Wright (knee).