NEW ORLEANS - For the second straight week, a depleted Cardinals defense didn’t have much gas in the tank. Saints quarterback Drew Brees sliced and diced a secondary missing starters Eric Green and Adrian Wilson by completing a stunning 26 of 30 passes.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt explained the Cardinals’ dilemma.

“They’re operating at a high level,” he said of the Saints’ passing attack.

“If you try to attack with pressure and you’re playing a lot of man coverage, that quarterback will make you pay.

“If you don’t and try to sit back and play coverage, they’ll take it down the field.

“That’s what they did the first two drives. They did a good job. That’s what it comes down to.”

EDGE RUNS PAST 1,000

Edgerrin James rushed for 84 yards on 16 carries, giving him 1,052 yards for the season.

James has rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. He’s the first Cardinal to do so since Ottis Anderson in 1983-84 when the team played in St. Louis.

“That doesn’t mean anything when you lose,” James said. “That’s all I’m going to say about that.”

WEIRD PENALTY HURTS

The Saints converted a third-and-1 situation at the Cards’ 23 when defensive end Antonio Smith was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. They kicked a field goal to make the score, 31-21.

The reason for the penalty: The refs said Smith tried to mimic the offense’s snap count, which is prohibited.

But both Smith and Whisenhunt said it never happened.

“If I think the guard is pulling, I yell, ‘Backset!’ ” (to defensive teammates), said Smith, who didn’t even realize the penalty was for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“He was not calling the cadence,” Whisenhunt said. “He was making a communication.

“You can’t argue that, I guess.”

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

Kurt Warner barked at offensive coordinator Todd Haley after Warner suffered a sack and fumble in the third quarter.

The Cardinals downplayed the matter afterward.

“They were both upset that we weren’t successful in what we were doing.,” Whisenhunt said.

“There was no issue afterward … I think they have a very good relationship.”

Said Warner: “I love my coaches. I love teammates.

“Sometimes it happens. I wish I could say my wife and I have never fought in our entire lives. But I can’t.

“Sometimes you disagree. Sometimes you fight.”

Warner laughed as he said Haley approached him later and said, “Are you still mad at me?”

“I said, ‘Yeah, I’m still mad at you.’

“But it’s part of the game … We’re both battling, trying to help our team be great. That’s what happens when you’re not there yet sometimes.

“For us, it’s no big deal. Maybe some day we’ll laugh about it.”

REVERSE FIZZLES

The Cardinals appeared to be a few steps from narrowing the deficit to 31-28 with nine minutes to go in the game.

They called a reverse for Steve Breaston, who swept to the left escorted by three blockers. Only one defender, cornerback Mike McKenzie, had a shot at him.

Unfortunately for the Cards, one of the blockers was quarterback Kurt Warner and neither of the others got in front of Breaston.

“All I know is you had a nonathlete against a really good athlete … and he won,” Warner said.

“I really had no chance, and he made a great play.

“I wish I could have done something. I’m just not athletic enough to block him.”

EXTRA POINT

With three touchdown passes Sunday, Warner has 21 this season. Believe it or not, he’s the first Cardinals quarterback to throw 20 touchdown passes since Neil Lomax in 1988, the team’s first year in Arizona.