KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Heading into the second season under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the Kansas City Chiefs' defense continues to feel more and more comfortable.
That's important, starting linebacker Anthony Hitchens said, because the more comfortable the defense feels with the scheme, the quicker the unit can play.
And the quicker the defense can react, the more success the Chiefs will find on the field.
"There is a lot of communication pre-snap and post-snap and that's what they pay me for, to get guys lined up and put us in the best situation," Hitchens said. "And I take pride in that."
He understands that not everyone understands the volume and importance of that communication.
"A lot of people don't see it, and that's OK," Hitchens said. "As long as the guys in the building and the coaches see the work I put in every weekend, eventually it is starting to pay off. Two years in the same system, things are running a little smoother to me. But (the goal is to) just keep improving and keep working and try to bring the most guys along, learning the system. The more guys that know the system, the faster we can play as a team. So, (I'm) just pulling guys along and bringing my leadership everyday."
Hitchens also took a moment to reflect on playing for an organization won its fifth consecutive AFC West title last week with a win at the Miami Dolphins as well as sharing a locker room with a motley cast of characters, including defensive tackle Chris Jones, defensive end Frank Clark, even rookie inebacker Willie Gay Jr.
"There are definitely a lot of personalities on this defense and on this team, and you need that," Hitchens said. "But one common thing that we all have is that we all want to get better and we all want to win. We're all good people at heart, and so we all take coaching, we take learning and we all want to get better."
With the chase for the top seed in the AFC and an all-important first-round bye heating up, Hitchens hopes the Chiefs' defense will continue to remain selfless and focus on the main goal, Running It Back.
"I just try to keep the guys sane on Sunday," he said. "They can act crazy all throughout the week, but on Sundays, when the bullets are flying, my job is to keep everybody calm."
