[Wilson8]

It wasn't so much that Anthony Hitchens was critical of the defense as he was saying they can be much better with their run defense and be a top 5 defense.

"Oh yeah," Hitchens told reporters Friday, via team transcript. "We improved from Week 7 through the whole season and I think we can get better in the run game. Our [defensive backs] and our secondary saved us a lot of games. [Tyrann Mathieu] and people getting picks and batted balls on fourth downs and all that. Once we get that going with the run game, not making predictions or anything like that, but we should be a top-five defense."

"We weren't a top-five, we had a good pass defense, but not a good run defense," said Hitchens, who led the Chiefs with 88 tackles last season. "When we put everything together in one season this could be great. It was good enough to win a Super Bowl, but I feel like we all know. Even in our first meeting [defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo], he was like we all know we won a Super Bowl, but we can be a lot better and we all shook our heads yes. There was a lot of heads shaking yes, we can get better. I just think it's more of the run defense than the pass defense. Once we get that settled and complete and make it a defense, we'll be good for years to come."

https://www.nfl.com/news/anthony-hit...p-five-defense