DETROIT — Calvin Johnson could only watch from the sidelines but the Detroit Lions still got big plays from their receivers in crucial situations.

Golden Tate turned a short pass into a 73-yard score and Corey Fuller caught the game-winner for his first career touchdown as the Lions erased a 13-point deficit in the final 3:38 for a 24-23 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon at Ford Field.

Johnson, Detroit’s perennial All-Pro receiver, missed his second straight game with a high ankle sprain but Detroit (5-2) remained in a first-place tie with the Green Bay Packers in NFC North.

“We’re finding ways to win,” said Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw the touchdown passes. “We came in here and played Buffalo (the last home game) and didn’t find a way to win that game. Today, we did the opposite. We found a way to win it and that’s what we’ve got to have more of.”

Stafford completed 27 of 40 passes for 299 yards and was intercepted twice. Tate, the team’s No. 1 receiving threat without Johnson, caught 10 passes for 154 yards. His 73-yard catch-and-run, when he slipped past cornerback Corey White and raced past the rest of New Orleans’ secondary with 3:38 remaining, gave Detroit renewed hope.

Safety Glover Quin’s interception of a Drew Brees third-down pass attempt on New Orleans’ next possession led to the game-winning score. Quin returned the pickoff 23 yards to the Saints’ 14.

“Those two big plays made the difference in the game,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “It just got us in position where we could close the gap on them, put some pressure on them. Those are two guys that have been making plays all year. They’re smart guys that play tough and they certainly don’t wilt under pressure.”

A fourth-down pass interference call against the Saints kept Detroit’s drive alive. Stafford then found Fuller near the back of the end zone on third down.

Fuller, a second-year player, replaced Johnson in the lineup.

“I know I don’t get called much,” Fuller said. “I’m just here to help any way I can. Matt threw a great ball, the line blocked perfectly and all I had to do was come down with it. I had to do the easy job.”

New Orleans (2-4) picked up one first down before turning the ball over on downs.

What the Saints said:

“There is a handful of things in that fourth quarter you have to be able to recognize when the momentum shifts and come up with just a play. We weren’t able to do it. We had the turnover advantage. I thought the penalties ended up hurting us. I wasn’t happy with how that game was officiated, I’ll leave it at that. Yet, that wasn’t the reason (we lost) in the end.” – Coach Sean Payton

What the Lions said:

“There’s a lot of veteran leadership in each and every room that we have and I think that’s huge. That keeps showing up every game. You hear them on the sidelines, they talk to one another, they encourage one another. It’s a tight family of guys and they hold each other accountable. They’re just not going to give up and I think that’s admirable.” – Coach Jim Caldwell

What we learned about the Saints:

1. They still don’t know how to finish games, particularly on the road. They lost an overtime decision to Atlanta in the opener and fell apart late in a two-point loss to Cleveland the following week. They managed to rally for an overtime victory over Tampa Bay at home before their bye but made crucial errors in the late going again on Sunday. Cornerback Corey White misplayed a short pass that turned into a 73-yard score that got Detroit back in the game. Then Drew Brees misread the safety and got picked deep in Saints territory. A fourth-down pass interference call extended the Lions’ final possession. “Obviously, 2-4 is not where we want to be,” Brees said.

2. They can still move the ball through the air without any contributions from All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham. Though Graham suited up, he played sparingly because of a shoulder sprain and didn’t catch a pass. Brees still threw for 342 yards, as wide receivers Marques Colston and Kenny Stills each had over 100 yards receiving. Stills also beat one-on-one coverage on a 46-yard play for his first touchdown this season. Brees compensated for Graham’s injury by completing 13 passes to his running backs.

–C Jonathan Goodwin suffered a left leg injury during the first half and did not return. Goodwin was injured when Detroit defensive tackle Nick Fairley was blocked into him. If the injury is serious, it could seriously affect a line that has given up just six sacks this season. Replacement Tim Lelito was whistled for a 15-yard personal foul penalty on a blind hit which potentially cost his team four points. The Saints had to settle for a 48-yard field goal on that drive.

–WR Kenny Stills had his best game of the season, catching five passes for 103 yards. Stills hauled in a 46-yard scoring pass early in the second half for his first touchdown on the season. He had seen his role in the offense diminish with the emergence of rookie Brandin Cooks, but Cooks had a quiet day with only two receptions.

–RB Mark Ingram played for the first time in four games but was a non-factor, rushing for just 16 yards on 10 carries against Detroit’s No. 1 ranked defense. He also caught two passes for 13 yards. Ingram was sidelined with a fractured hand after scoring three touchdowns in the first two games.

–NT Brodrick Bunkley suffered a concussion during the second half. Buckley, the team’s starter, was credited with one assisted tackle before the injury. Buckley has appeared in 33 games since joining the Saints in 2012 and is one of the keys to their rushing defense.

What we learned about the Lions:

1. Golden Tate can play the role of No. 1 receiver ably without Calvin Johnson. Tate carried an otherwise unimposing group of wideouts with 10 receptions for 154 yards and a game-changing, 73-yard catch-and-run. Tate showed his explosive speed by out-racing the Saints secondary after he got past cornerback Corey White on the short route. “That play he made on that long touchdown is as good of a play as I’ve seen in a long time,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. Tate, signed away from Seattle as a free agent, has 48 receptions in seven games.

2. Their pass defense can be carved up when a savvy quarterback can handle the pressure. Drew Brees passed for 342 yards, even though tight end Jimmy Graham didn’t have a catch. Brees was sacked once and hit six times but kept finding his receivers in rhythm. Cornerback Darius Slay was burned on a 46-yard touchdown pass and two New Orleans receivers had over 100 yards. The secondary redeemed itself on safety Glover Quin’s fourth-quarter interception that led to the winning touchdown.

–S Glover Quin made a fourth-quarter interception that led to Detroit’s game-winning score. Playing what New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees called “robber coverage,” Quin read Brees’ eyes and stepped in front of receiver Marques Colston for his third pickoff this season. “His football IQ is off the charts,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “He’s one of those guys that has a knack for coming up with a big play at the right time.”

–RB Reggie Bush gained only 10 yards on four carries in his first game against the team that drafted him. Bush, who also caught five passes for 22 yards, was still affected by an ankle sprain that kept him out of the win at Minnesota the previous week. “I think you saw a few times he was still kind of nursing his injury just a little bit,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “It bothered him a couple of times but he gutted it out.”

–S James Ihedigbo has his best game as a Lion, making eight tackles and recording a sack. He also had another tackle for loss and recovered a fumble that led to Detroit’s first points. Ihedigbo, who was signed away from Baltimore during the offseason, missed the first three games with shoulder and knee injuries but has since established himself as a playmaker.

–QB Matthew Stafford struggled for most of the game but threw two late touchdown passes and finished with 299 yards through the air. Stafford was forced to check down and throw a lot of short passes with Calvin Johnson sidelined. He had two interceptions but one was not his fault as the ball bounced off tight end Jordan Thompson’s pads. Stafford’s two scoring passes gave him 118 as a Lion, tying him with Hall of Famer Bobby Layne atop the franchise’s all-time touchdown passes list.