Vasher helps Bears throttle Panthers

CHICAGO – Nathan Vasher didn’t set a record this time – he set the tone.

One week after returning a missed field goal a record 108 yards, Vasher intercepted two passes, and the North-leading Bears stamped themselves as a contender in the NFC on Sunday with a 13-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Chicago’s sixth straight win.

The NFC South-leading Panthers saw their six-game win streak end. After scoring at least 20 points in every game, they managed 238 yards against the NFL’s No. 1 defense, and quarterback Jake Delhomme was sacked eight times.

Vasher’s first pick led to a 3-yard touchdown reception for former Panther Muhsin Muhammad, and the second resulted in a 33-yard field goal by Robbie Gould in the first quarter. The second-year pro has six interceptions.

Thomas Jones ran for 87 yards on 25 attempts for Chicago after missing last week’s 17-9 victory over San Francisco with sore ribs. Kyle Orton was 15 of 26 for 136 yards, a touchdown and interception.

Steve Smith caught 14 passes for 169 yards for Carolina.

None of the Bears’ previous five wins were against teams with winning records, and the only blowout was a 28-3 victory over Minnesota on Oct. 16.

“There is no need to be all out of whack when you are trying to play the ball,” Vasher said. “I’m doing what the coaching staff asks me to do, I’m having the right progressions and the right reads. It just looks easy, I guess. Football is one of those things either you can or you can’t. I obviously can.”

At the moment, the Bears are playing like a team that can.