Gore, 49ers Beat Bears 10-6, Ending 4-Game Skid

Mike Singletary didn't exactly hand it to his old team. That didn't matter — Jay Cutler handed the desperate San Francisco 49ers a much-needed win.

San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) scores a touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the second quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

(AP)

Frank Gore ran for 104 yards and a touchdown, Cutler threw a career-high five interceptions with his last coming in the end zone on the game's final play and San Francisco snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Chicago Bears 10-6 on Thursday night.

Niners quarterback Alex Smith won for the first time in eight starts since Week 2 in 2007, 17-16 against St. Louis — but it was interesting until the end.

Cutler showed up for his postgame news conference still dressed in his uniform, minus his pads and jersey and quickly apologized.

"It was tough. I have to apologize to the defense," Cutler said. "I think the offense as a whole has to apologize. They played a great game and kept us in there even through all the turnovers."

After Singletary elected to punt against his former team on fourth-and-6 from the Chicago 34 with 2:53 left, Cutler drove the Bears to the San Francisco 12 with 13 seconds remaining. After an incompletion on first down, Michael Lewis picked off Cutler's next attempt in the end zone as time expired. That sealed San Francisco's first win since a 35-0 rout of the Rams back on Oct. 4.

The game was far from a pretty display by two struggling teams still hoping to make the playoffs.

Four days after the 49ers (4-5) committed four turnovers that led to 24 points in a 34-27 loss to Tennessee Titans, they were penalized nine times and Smith threw an interception and was sacked twice. San Francisco did just enough right to win.

Cutler took chances away all game from Chicago (4-5), which had 10 penalties and lost its second straight and fourth in five. Patrick Willis wreaked havoc on the Bears with 11 tackles, one of few bright spots for the 49ers.

"It's nice to be on the other sideline of that, that's for sure," Smith said.