Saints make plays to protect lead

METAIRIE, La. -- For the first time this season, a New Orleans Saints victory required protecting a one-score lead in the final minutes.

The Saints entered their game against Chicago on Sunday having won four consecutive games, all by nine points or more. But on Sunday in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the Bears cut New Orleans' lead to five points with 3:58 remaining.

The Saints were up to the challenge, but not without some anxious moments.

Drew Brees completed a 52-yard pass to Ted Ginn Jr. to put them in scoring range, but Mark Ingram II lost a fumble for the second consecutive possession. The Saints' defense then stopped Chicago on four downs.

After Wil Lutz's 49-yard field goal increased the lead to eight, the Bears started their next possession at the New Orleans 43 following Tarik Cohen's 46-yard kickoff return and a horse-collar penalty on Lutz.

But two plays later, rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore intercepted rookie Mitchell Trubisky's pass with 1:11 left, securing the 20-12 victory.

"We counted on the offense for years," Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro said. "It feels good that we had to go out there and hold them in a crucial situation."

NOTES, QUOTES

--The Saints' offense did poorly on third downs for the second time in three games, converting just 2 of 9. Two weeks earlier against Detroit, they converted 2 of 12. In between they converted 8 of 15 against Green Bay.

--The Saints scored a touchdown on their first possession for the first time this season, but needed an assist from the Bears' special teams to do it. Chicago was offside on Lutz's 32-yard field goal, giving New Orleans a first down. On the next play, Alvin Kamara ran 8 yards for a touchdown.

--For the second consecutive week, the Saints won despite having more turnovers than takeaways. They gave the ball away twice on running back Ingram's fumbles and took it away on Lattimore's interception.

A week earlier, Brees threw interceptions on the Saints' first two possessions and New Orleans didn't take it away until safety Kenny Vaccaro intercepted Brett Hundley's pass late in the fourth quarter. Prior to the game against Green Bay, New Orleans had lost its last 10 games in which it turned the ball over more than it took it away.

--The Saints had just three defensive ends active -- starters Cam Jordan and Alex Okafor as well as rookie Trey Hendrickson. Hau'oli Kikaha and rookie Al-Quadin Muhammad were both inactive. Despite the shortage of ends, the Saints used a five-man defensive front, utilizing tackles Sheldon Rankins, Tyeler Davison and David Onyemata at the same time.

NOTES: G Senio Kelemete started in place of injured RG Larry Warford and the offensive line didn't seem to have any drop-off. Kelemete had started at left guard earlier in the season when the Saints rearranged the line to adapt to the absence of injured RT Zach Strief. ... CB Delvin Breaux (leg) is eligible to play in the next game although head coach Sean Payton was non-committal Monday about Breaux's return. "I think it is just getting the physical, the cardio, all the football-playing elements up to speed," Payton said. "I do not think you just flip the switch and then, 'Bang.'"

REPORT CARD VS. BEARS

--PASSING OFFENSE: A-minus -- Drew Brees didn't throw an interception after throwing two in each of the last two games. He was very efficient, completing 23 of 28 passes for 299 yards. He didn't throw a touchdown pass.

--RUSHING OFFENSE: C -- The most glaring thing was Mark Ingram's two lost fumbles. He and Alvin Kamara each ran for a touchdown, but the Saints had just 101 yards and averaged 3.4 per carry.

--PASS DEFENSE: A -- For the second consecutive game, the Saints held an inexperienced quarterback to less than 50 percent completions. Mitchell Trubisky completed 14 of 32 passes for 164 yards. He did not throw a touchdown pass, was intercepted once and was sacked twice.

--RUSH DEFENSE: B-minus -- The Bears' rushing total (157 yards) was higher than the Saints would have liked, but 46 of the yards came on a Trubisky scramble against the blitz. Otherwise, Chicago averaged 3.7 yards.

--SPECIAL TEAMS: A -- Wil Lutz was 2 for 2 on field goals and Thomas Morstead continued his All-Pro-caliber season with another outstanding performance (46.3 net on four punts with two downed inside the 20). A 46-yard kickoff return that was compounded by a horse-collar penalty on Lutz was the lone blemish and was rendered harmless by Marshon Lattimore's subsequent interception.

--COACHING: A -- It's hard to find fault after a fifth consecutive win. The Saints leaned on the run game and a relatively conservative passing game against Chicago's big-play defense. The defense had a solid plan to contain the run game and the limited pass game with Trubisky at the helm.