TAMPA, Fla. -- There are no more lingering questions about whether the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are relevant again.The teams four-game winning streak not only has catapulted Jameis Winston and his supporting cast into playoff contention, but the Bucs (7-5) also are tied for first place in the NFC South with the Atlanta Falcons.Winston has cut down on mistakes that hindered the offense earlier in the season, Doug Martin has returned from an injury that sidelined him seven weeks to give the team at least the threat of a productive running attack, and a defense that has been a liability at times has rebounded from a shoddy two-game stretch to do its part in the turnaround.I just think were one of those teams that is starting to believe, coach Dirk Koetter said. It is crazy what confidence can do when you start making plays. It seems to build on itself.The winning streak is Tampa Bays longest since 2012, when the Bucs got off to a 6-4 start before losing five of their final six games to finish 7-9. The team is two games over .500 this late in a season for the first time in six years and sitting atop the division standings through Week 13 for the first time since 2008, when a 9-3 start was followed a four-game season-ending slide that cost former coach Jon Gruden his job.The Bucs have missed the playoffs the past eight seasons and havent won a postseason game since their 2002 Super Bowl run.It feels great, but we have not arrived. We have to keep playing one game at a time, Winston said after Sundays 28-21 win over San Diego improved Tampa Bays record to 5-1 on the road, compared to 2-4 at home, where the Bucs will host division rival New Orleans on Sunday.We have to take advantage of the opportunity. We cannot stop now, Winston added. We have to keep going. We have to keep playing. I believe we will because were playing so well as a family right now, and its really inspiring.The surge begins with the play of Winston, who threw seven interceptions and lost two fumbles during a three-game losing streak that dropped Tampa Bays record to 1/3 a month into the season. He has thrown for 15 touchdowns with just four interceptions and two lost fumbles while the Bucks have won six of the last eight to fuel the push for their first playoff berth since 2007.The No. 1 overall pick from last years draft has emerged as the teams unquestioned leader in the locker room, too.I think theres definitely something to that, Koetter said Monday of the second-year quarterbacks ability to command the attention and respect of teammates.And theres different styles. Im sure Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger, and were seeing one of the best in Drew Brees this week, they all have their own style, Koetter added. Leadership can take on many forms, but you also have to be able to back it up with your play. And, Jameis has done that.The Bucs are 4-0 since Martin returned from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him since Week 2. And even though, the leagues second-leading rusher from last season hasnt run for the impressive numbers the team is accustomed to getting, hes clearly taken some of the burden off Winston and receiver Mike Evans to carry the offense.Martin rushed for 45 yards on 17 attempts against San Diego, averaging just 2.6 yards per carry. He also scored his second touchdown of the season.Doug makes our offense go. All youve got to do is look at all the tape for last year, Koetter said. We spin a lot of stuff off of how Doug plays.Meanwhile, the defense has made strides since yielding over 1,000 yards during losses to Oakland and Atlanta within a five-day span last month. The have at least two takeaways in four consecutive games, and a rejuvenated pass rush sacked Russell Wilson six times during a 14-5 win over Seattle and two more against Phillip Rivers on Sunday.Coach Dirk is harping on playing complimentary football. Special teams, offense, and defense, and that is what we are doing, Evans said. Everybody is giving it all that theyve got. We are just trying to find a way to win.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL. Nike Air Max 1 Australia . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Air Max 1 Clearance . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. http://www.wholesaleairmax1australia.com/ .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Air Max 1 Cheap Australia . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Air Max 1 Sale Cheap . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. JOLIET, Ill. -- Martin Truex Jr.s?tire became completely unraveled, and that left him a lap down, but he took the lead at the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup for the first time in his career.He can thank a late caution in what has been an emotional year for the small-team driver.Truex shot to the front after a late restart and pulled away to give Furniture Row Racing a NASCAR Sprint Cup playoff-opening victory Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.Ive had a lot of practice at it, Truex said about the on-track obstacles. I think my approach really changed two years ago, when (girlfriend) Sherry got diagnosed with cancer. My approach to all those things changed and made me a better driver.NASCAR announced after the race that Truexs No. 78 Toyota failed the laser inspection, but the infraction was not at the level of negating the victory for Chase qualification purposes. Truex is expected to receive a point penalty this week.Rookie Chase Elliott appeared on his way to an easy win until Michael McDowell blew a tire and spun out to bring a caution with five laps left.Elliott and Truex came in to pit for tires, with some non-Chase drivers Ryan Blaney and Kasey Kahne and Chase contender Carl Edwards staying on the track.Truex restarted fourth and Elliott fifth, and Truex quickly got to the front and held off Joey Logano on the final lap for his third victory of the season. Truex is guaranteed to move on when the Chase field is cut from 16 to 12 in two weeks.Truex, whose team gets technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing, made the last four in the 2015 Chase. His 2016 season started with a near-miss at the Daytona 500 and a Coca-Cola 600 win, while Sherry Pollex battled ovarian cancer. Shes now in remission.You have to understand, this isnt the end of the world, Truex said of racing setbacks. We can overcome it. Thats what we did today.Elliott, a rookie, finished third, followed by Blaney and Chase driver Brad Keselowski, who sits second in points.Its not yours until its over, the 20-year-old Elliott said. Thats part of life, man. Youre not dumb. Weve all watched this stuff long enough to know these races dont go green that long.Truex led early in the race only to have his tire come completely unraveled. It led to an unscheduled stop that left him a lap down in the 400-mile race.The hard compound came off it, said Cole Pearnn, Truexs crew chief.ddddddddddddI guess [Goodyear] saw a couple other tires and came down and told us a certain sequence number had an issue.Truex had no other tire issues on the 1.5-mile oval and outraced Kevin Harvick, who also got into early trouble, to be in position for the free pass to the lead lap on the next caution.Jimmie Johnson dominated the middle of the race, leading 118 laps, until Elliott got by him on lap 176 of 267.Johnson was running second when he was caught speeding on pit road during the last green-flag stop, yelling no way! on his radio when told he had to serve a pass-through penalty. Johnson finished 12th, but his car also failed laser inspection and he could plummet in the points standings.Elliott led for 75 laps in what was a clean race with only three cautions until McDowells late wreck changed the dynamic of the race.I feel for Chase. I know what hes going through, Truex said. I wasnt going to catch him.WHOS HOT: Chase drivers Truex, Logano, Elliott, Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth all finished in the top 10. Jamie McMurray was 11th, Kurt Busch 13th and Tony Stewart 14th.WHOS NOT: Kyle Larson, who had the fastest car in Saturdays practice, had to change a transmission and start from the back. He finished 18th. ... Harvick ended up 20th amid multiple issues. ... Rookie Chris Buescher fell a lap down 41 laps in and two laps down before the 100th lap. He finished 28th.PENALTIES: Based on new rules announced last week, Johnson could receive a 10-point penalty, which would drop him into a tie for 12th in the Chase standings. Truex could be docked 15 points, but the win locks him into the second round.DILLON SUBS: Ty Dillon finished 27th filling in for Regan Smith in the No. 7 Chevrolet. Smith left the track Friday and returned to North Carolina after his wife went into labor.COWABUNGA: With Nickelodeon as the race sponsor, the winning trophy was a gold base with the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on top in various poses. Truex plans to put it in his shop so visiting kids can get a picture with it.UP NEXT: Two races remain before the Chase field is cut to 12. Next Sunday is a 300-mile race at New Hampshire, where Kenseth won in July. ' ' '