VASHER, DEFENSE GOOD AS GOLD
Bears overcome Wade's three fumbles for best start since 2001

Nathan Vasher set sail on a blustery day at Soldier Field.

Vasher returned a missed field goal 108 yards Sunday, the longest play in NFL history, and the Chicago Bears beat the San Francisco 49ers 17-9 for their fifth straight victory.

When Joe Nedney's 52-yard attempt went wide right in a stiff wind on the final play of the first half, Vasher caught the ball over his shoulder, hesitated momentarily on whether to come out of the end zone, sprinted to the 15, then reversed his field, picking up a convoy of blockers.

Getting blocks down the sideline from Lance Briggs and Chris Harris, Vasher weaved his way past and through the 49ers for a stunning touchdown and a 7-3 halftime lead.

The previous longest play was Baltimore's Chris McAlister's 107-yarder with a missed field goal in 2002.

The Bears (6-3) have their longest winning streak in a single season since 2001, when they won six in a row en route to a division title.

It could be a costly win, however.

First-round pick Cedric Benson, making his first NFL start in place of Thomas Jones (ribs), was wheeled off the field in the second quarter with a sprained right knee. He was hit by Isaac Sopoaga and his right knee was twisted grotesquely as he went down.

That left the Bears with one tailback for the second half, and Adrian Peterson responded with 120 yards on 24 carries. Peterson's 34-yard run and two penalties on the 49ers -- for pass interference and roughing the passer -- set up Peterson's 7-yard TD run early in the fourth period that made it 14-6.

When Bobby Wade fumbled a punt for the third time on the day, the 49ers recovered at Chicago's 2.

But once again San Francisco's offense showed why it is last in the NFL in yardage. After two runs failed to get into the end zone, the 49ers (2-7) were called for having 12 men in the huddle, then for delay of game before Nedney hit a 29-yarder to make it 14-9.

Chicago's Robbie Gould kicked a 37-yarder later in the quarter after San Francisco's Rasheed Marshall fumbled a punt.

With wind gusts up to 38 mph shaking the goalposts, roaring through the referees' on-field microphone, blowing off their caps and sending hot dog wrappers all over Soldier Field, neither team could muster much offense and stuck mainly with the run.

49ers starter Cody Pickett, at one time a fourth stringer, attempted just two first-half passes -- both were incomplete -- and finished 1-for-13. Chicago's Kyle Orton was 8-for-13.

Pickett did hit a 28-yarder to Brandon Lloyd in the third quarter and a personal foul call on the Bears helped set up a 34-yard field goal by Nedney that made it 7-6.

Earlier, then Gould attempted a 39-yard field goal near, the ball appeared headed straight to the goalposts, got caught in a gust and then almost comically ended up about 20 yards wide right. Nedney hit a 30-yarder to open the scoring in the second quarter.

49ers safety Tony Parrish broke his left leg in the first quarter. He'd started 121 straight games over his seven-plus seasons, including his first four years with the Bears.

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