Bears’ defense stuffs Panthers

CHICAGO — When Nathan Vasher looks around the NFC, he doesn’t see a single offense that strikes fear in the Chicago Bears.

‘‘We’re playing really good as a defense right now, and until ... somebody shows us different, we’re going to continue to bring the heat, bring the pressure,’’ Vasher said.

They did it again Sunday.

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 with a 13-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Chicago’s sixth straight win.

‘‘I’m playing as well as anybody,’’ Vasher said. ‘‘Our defense is playing as good as — if not better — than anybody.’’

The NFC South-leading Panthers (7-3) saw their sixgame 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 3yard 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.

Adewale Ogunleye tied a career-high with three sacks, and Alex Brown added two and forced two fumbles for the Bears (7-3).

Muhammad had six receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown against his former team but dropped several passes. Justin Gage caught seven balls for 81 yards.

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

Fred Miller started at right tackle for the Bears after missing last week’s game with a broken jaw — the result of a punch to the face from center Olin Kreutz during an altercation at an FBI shooting range in the Chicago area on Nov. 7. The FBI launched an internal investigation into the incident.

Carolina’s Steve Smith, the NFL’s leader with 937 yards receiving entering the game, caught a career-high 14 passes for 169 yards. But others struggled: Delhomme was 22of-38 for 235 yards and two interceptions, and the Panthers managed only 55 yards rushing.

‘‘Certainly they are good; there’s no doubt,’’ Delhomme said. ‘‘We put ourselves in a hole early. I had a couple picks early on, we went down 10-0. We just never got anything going.’’

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.

‘‘I’m doing what the coaching staff asks me to do, I’m having the right progressions and the right reads,’’ Vasher said. ‘‘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.

Free safety Chris Harris showed it in the fourth quarter when he sprinted to his left, lunged, and broke up a pass intended for Ricky Proehl in the end zone on third down. The Panthers settled for a field goal.

Ogunleye and Alex Brown showed it by breaking through the line.

‘‘(That’s) what we’ve been waiting for from Alex, really all day was able to get good pressure,’’ coach Lovie Smith said. ‘‘That’s what we expect from Alex.’’

Notes: Carolina lost starting middle linebacker Dan Morgan to a sprained left ankle about five minutes into the game. Morgan, the team leader with 74 tackles, was helped off the field after a run by the Bears’ Thomas Jones. ... The Bears had eight sacks for the first time since Sept. 8, 1991, at Tampa Bay.