NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Now that the New Orleans Saints have avoided the dreaded fate of playing meaningle s late-season football, all they can do is try to replicate their most recent performance  easily among their best during  Colby Rasmus Jersey an up-and-down 2023 campaign  and hope that fortune favors them.The Saints demonstrated during their on Sunday that they're capable of seizing control of a game against a playoff-contending rival, overcoming injuries and winning convincingly with their season on the line.Everything was clicking; everything worked out," tight end Juwan Johnson said. The defense was playing lights out and the offense was playing really well. Just from the first drive, we were hitting on all cylinders. New Orleans found the end zone on its opening drive and remained in front, building a 20-point third-quarter lead that proved too much for the NFC South-leading Buccaneers to overcome.ADVERTISEMENT  The Saints' defense produced four Tampa Bay turnovers. New Orleans' offense never coughed up the ball.Derek Carr, whose bouts of inconsistency have gotten him booed at times, was efficient and effective. He completed 24 of 32 pa ses with two touchdowns.Whether one of New Orleans' best and most complete performances came a little too late will be known soon enough.The Saints (8-8) pulled even with the Buccaneers (8-8) in the win-lo s column,  Craig Gentry Jersey but Tampa Bay holds the tiebreaker by virtue of its superior record against common opponents.Still, the Saints , even if winning this weekend is not enough by itself to a sure New Orleans a postseason berth.Were guaranteed one more opportunity to go and prove it a little bit more," coach Dennis Allen said. "Thats what were going to focus on.WHATS WORKINGNew Orleans' pa s defense has ranked in the top 10 virtually all season and is currently ninth. The Saints also rank fifth in interceptions per pa s attempt (3.1%) after Alontae Taylor and Jonathan Abram each picked off Baker Mayfield.WHAT NEEDS HELPThe defense's approach to protecting late leads has caused consternation.After stifling Mayfield and the Tampa Bay offense with aggre sive, opportunistic play for three quarters, New Orleans allowed touchdown  Brad Brach Jersey pa ses of 22 and 47 yards in the last eight minutes. The Saints also gave up another 54-yard reception in the fourth quarter that might have been more costly if Trey Palmer hadn't fumbled the ball away as he fell to the ground without being touched.We've got to fix that because thats inexcusable to let the ball go over your head, said Allen, who oversees the defense. When you get in those  Pedro Alvarez Jersey situations, youve been playing well for such a long time doing it one way, dont change how youre playing.STOCK UPJohnson's production had fallen below expectations for much of this season, but at Tampa Bay, the 27-year-old, fourth-year pro had eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Abram had his best game this season with five tackles, one interception, a pa s defended and a forced fumble.STOCK DOWNChris Olave, who leads the Saints with 87 catches for 1,067 yards, experienced a dip in production at Tampa Bay, finishing with three catches for 26 yards.INJURIESTop running back Alvin Kamara has  John Means Jersey a sprained ankle that sidelined him for the second half at Tampa Bay. Linebacker Nephi Sewell was carted off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Offensive tackle Landon Young also left with a knee injury.KEY NUMBER1  The number of New Orleans' opening offensive series that