TAMPA — It’s held together by free agents. Welded with players from the waiver wire. Bolstered even by a safety who came from his couch onto the field to play at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

The Bucs’ defense was so bruised and ineffective for most of the season that it was almost unrecognizable to the team’s fans.

The Bucs needed a good seamstress to change all the names on the back of the uniforms. Don’t look now, but defense is killing the NFC South.

Since the bye in Week 11, head coach Todd Bowles’ D has allowed just 15 points per game, the fewest in the league over the past four weeks.

Receiver Mike Evans and quarterback Baker Mayfield will grab the headlines in Sunday’s 40-17 win over the Chargers, but a key stop just as the game seemed to be slipping away in the second quarter changed the Bucs’ fortunes.

Mayfield had thrown an interception, his fifth in three games, and the Chargers used it to score a touchdown on Justin Herbert’s 13-yard pass to Quentin Johnston, giving them a 17-10 lead.

On the next possession, Tampa Bay running back Rachaad White lost a fumble at the LA 49-yard line.

But the Bucs forced the Chargers into a three-and-out. In fact, Tampa Bay held Los Angeles to just 206 yards rushing for the game.

“That was huge because they stepped up,” Mayfield said. “We obviously weren’t successful. Rachaad wanted to try extra hard, he just needs to be careful. He had the first strike and reached out to make sure of it. It’s one of those he wants back, but for them to step up at this point so we can play at halftime with the score at just one point? It was huge.”

The Bucs sacked Herbert three times and forced him to do something he had done only once this season: throw an interception.

Jamel Dean’s first pick of the season snapped Herbert’s streak of 357 passes without an interception, one less than Tom Brady for the fourth-longest streak. (Aaron Rodgers has the longest time with 402.)

Herbert passed for 195 yards and a touchdown while the Chargers gained just 32 yards on 11 attempts.

“They came and did a great job, especially in the second half,” Bowles said. “They came in and the communication was very good, especially in the second half. We gave up two or three games in the first half. In the second half they held back, the communication was great and everyone understood their tasks.”

Consider the injuries the Bucs have suffered this season, particularly in the secondary. Antoine Winfield Jr. left last week’s game against the Raiders with a knee sprain. Safety Jordan Whitehead is on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle. Safety Mike Edwards, who was claimed off waivers, injured his hamstring in his second game against Tampa Bay and was inactive again Sunday.

The Bucs were forced to play safety Ryan Neal, who was not on an NFL roster until this week.

“The defense has really been an underrated defense since I’ve been here,” Evans said. “Lavonte David, one of the best to ever play, he made a ton of plays for us and the defense really stepped up for us. Having Dean make that turnover was huge. Call our defense. They did their thing (Sunday).”

David finished the game with 12 tackles, 1½ sacks and three quarterback hits. Defensive lineman Logan Hall also had 1½ sacks.

Evans said the focus has been better on both sides of the ball since the bye week.

“I came back and a few others came back and we knew what was at stake,” he said. “We just tried to take it one game at a time. Prepare yourself because every game means a lot to us.

“Some people have said that. That’s what Coach Bowles said. For us, every game is like a playoff game. And the guys have taken that and used it as fuel and they don’t want to lose.”

• • •

Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter for daily coverage of the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.

Never miss the latest on your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on Instagram, X and Facebook.