[Warren]

Originally Posted by Joshua

As for his time with the Cards, maybe my memory is hazy, but I don't recall anyone shaking in fear of the vaunted Cardinal defenses of 2003 and '04.

Here's how the Cardinals' website describes the team's '04-'06 defenses (Bush was in Denver in '03) in DC Clancy Pendergast's bio:

His 2006 defense was highlighted by strong safety Adrian Wilson’s first trip to the Pro Bowl. Wilson recorded four interceptions to tie a career-high set in 2002 and also scored on a pair of 99-yard TD’s (fumble and interception return) to become the first player in NFL history with two defensive touchdowns of 99 yards. Pendergast’s unit forced 33 turnovers (17 fumble recoveries, 16 interceptions) in 2006, the most for a Cardinals defense since 1998 and the second time in the past three years the defense finished with 30+ takeaways. Linebacker Gerald Hayes led the team with a career high 111 stops in his first season as the starting middle linebacker and the team’s redzone defense was 4th best in the NFC and 11th best in the NFL.

Pendergast’s defensive unit improved from 26th to 12th in his first season as coordinator and then jumped from 12th to 8th in 2005. Even with missing four regular starters for most of the 2005 season (DE Bertrand Berry, DT Russell Davis, Hayes, CB Antrel Rolle) and having his defensive players miss a combined 101 games due to injury, the Cardinals defense finished the season with the 10th best rush defense and the 12th best pass defense in 2005. The 8th overall ranking was the best finish for the Cardinals defense since 1994 when they finished 3rd overall. The 2005 defense also finished 7th in the NFL in first downs allowed (272) and 4th in third-down efficiency (34.2%). Wilson, a Pro Bowl alternate and 16-game starter in 2005, led the team with a career high 112 tackles and eight sacks. The 8.0 sacks were the most in the NFL by a defensive back since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Wilson also became the first defensive back in Cardinals history to lead the team in sacks. Outside linebacker Karlos Dansby finished third on the team with 103 tackles and collected 4.0 sacks and 3 interceptions, becoming one of only six NFL players in 2005 to collect more than three sacks and three interceptions.

In 2004, Pendergast’s defense improved its overall rank from 26th at the end of ’03 to 12th. His unit was particularly tough in the red zone where its 45.0 TD percentage ranked second-best in the NFL (up from 60.7 in ’03). Other key categories of defensive improvement were in third down defense (fourth in ’04 and 32nd in ’03); total sacks were up from 20 to 38; total touchdowns allowed dropped from 55 to 35; and total takeaways improved from 23 to 30. Overall, the Cards plus-minus improved from minus-13 in 2003 to plus-1 in ’04 and the team allowed 130 fewer total points (452 to 322) which moved them from last in the NFL in 2003 to 12th in the league. Passing yards per game dropped from 224.4 in ’03 to 189.8 in ’04 (29th in ’03 to 9th in ’04) and first downs allowed dropped from 326 in ’03 to 282 in ’04. The defense didn’t allow a touchdown in three games (Rams, Falcons and Saints) and allowed just one TD in three others (Rams, Jets and Bucs). Linebacker James Darling set a career and team high with 104 tackles and defensive end Bertrand Berry earned his first Pro Bowl berth with an NFC leading 14.5 sacks.