1.   And kept his defense ranked at or near the top all season?

2.   And though his defense was ranked third in the NFL last season, Ryan was in a search mode.

3.   Even Tomey, whose own defense is ranked first nationally against the rush and sixth nationally overall, mentioned the about-face.

4.   The Cardinals defense is ranked last in the NFL against the run, so Hayden may turn in another fine performance.

5.   The defense is still ranked near the bottom in almost every category, and the offense still has difficulty scoring.

6.   The league ranks defenses by average yards allowed.

7.   The Saints still have weapons, like wide receiver Joe Horn, and the defense is ranked first in the conference.

8.   Last year, the defense was ranked sixth.

9.   Their defense is ranked first in the league in defending the rush and second overall.