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After a bad loss it's always easier to find 5 bad things, after a good win it's always easier to find 5 good things. This loss was bad, but there was enough good that finding 5 things wasn't that difficult. Actually, here's a 6th as a bonus: Nate Kaeding has gone back to being regular-season Nate Kaeding for the moment and that adds another weapon into the offense's arsenal. Speaking of the offense....
1. The Passing Game/The Captain
431 yards through the air, no interceptions and a handful of incredible passes into the smallest of windows in the defensive secondary. 10.3 yards per attempt is ridiculous, and doing it without a clean pocket all day just seems impossible. I don't know how, but Philip Rivers is going to get even better when Marcus McNeill comes back next week. That will be something to see.
Antonio Gates, despite being double and triple-teamed all game still ended up with 5 catches for 92 yards and 1 TD. At this point, if he doesn't break every single-season TE record this year I will be surprised. His TD catch was one of the most impressive plays I've ever seen for both the QB and the receiver.
2. Malcom Floyd is Not a Human Being
8 catches for 213 yards and a TD. The next best WR was Patrick Crayton, who had a single 22-yard catch. Floyd and Rivers were definitely on the same page all game, and Malcom was reminding many people of Vincent Jackson's production last year
3. Ryan Mathews = First Round Talent
This will not be a rant about how much he was used. This will be a rant about how he came into the game, going up against a defense that looked like it wouldn't have let up yards to any RB on the day, and came away with 6.6 yards per carry and a couple of big plays. It may have taken 5 weeks, and had it's ups and downs, but I think Ryan Mathews announced to the team and the fans "I'm ready."
4. Antoine Cason > Antonio Cromartie
I just love pointing this out every week, after defiantly stating and believing it all offseason. While Cromartie gets his name in the NY papers with dumb quotes and poor coverage, Cason has been quietly matching Quentin Jammer in terms of coverage and tackling all season. He came about an inch away from having an interception run back for a TD in this game, but the fact that he didn't get it is no reason to find fault with a nearly flawless game.
5. Kevin Burnett is an Animal
Here's the season Burnett's on pace for: 86 tackles, 13 sacks(!), 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 10 passes defended.
He's been that good, week-in and week-out, and seems to have completely embraced his role as the play-caller and a bit of a leader in the middle of the defense. I don't think he'll end up with 13 sacks, but I do think he'll end up with more than 3 interceptions on the year.