CHICAGO – Scoring early and often in record fashion, the Bears ensured that they wouldn’t need a second straight miraculous comeback to remain undefeated Sunday at Soldier Field.

Reverting to form after rallying for a one-point win over the Cardinals, Chicago dominated on offense, defense and special teams from the opening kickoff in a 41-10 thrashing of the San Francisco 49ers.

Thomas Jones rushed for 111 yards and 1 touchdown on 23 carries in the Bears' 41-10 win over the 49ers Sunday at Soldier Field.

“That was a complete team win,” coach Lovie Smith. “It was one of those days where most of the things went our way. We’d like to have a couple more games like that.”

Scoring on seven of eight first-half possessions, the Bears set a franchise record with 24 points in the first quarter and tied a team mark for points in the first half in cruising to an insurmountable 41-0 halftime lead.

In the first two quarters, Rex Grossman completed 18 of 22 passes for 202 yards with 3 touchdowns, no interceptions and a 144.5 passer rating.

“I thought Rex Grossman played an outstanding football game,” Smith said. “He made the right decisions. He took what the defense gave him most of the day.”

Grossman was replaced by backup Brian Griese with 11:35 left in the game after completing 23 of 29 passes for 252 yards with 3 TDs and a 137.4 passer rating. In four home contests this season, the fourth-year pro has thrown 11 TD passes and no interceptions.

Thomas Jones rushed for a season-high 111 yards on 23 carries, his second 100-yard game of the season and the 14th of his career. Desmond Clark led the Bears in receiving with six catches for 86 yards and 2 TDs. Muhsin Muhammad added five receptions for 65 yards and 1 TD.

The 41 points were the most the Bears have scored since Sept. 26, 1993 when they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 47-17 at Soldier Field for Dave Wannstedt’s first win as head coach.

“Offensively, most of the things we wanted to do we were able to do,” Smith said. “Our offense was really clicking.”

Four of the Bears’ five first-half touchdowns were set up by takeaways, three by the defense and one by the special teams. The other TD came after rookie sensation Devin Hester returned a punt 42 yards to the San Francisco 24.

Given the fact that the Bears started four of their first six drives in 49ers territory, offensive coordinator Ron Turner wasn’t surprised that Grossman and company were able to put 41 points on the board in the first half.

“With the field position we got today, we should have,” Turner said. “We had great field position. We were starting on a short field most of the time. Then obviously you’ve got to do something with it, and our guys did a good job of that.”

In the Bears' previous game against the Cardinals, Grossman committed six turnovers with four interceptions and two lost fumbles while quarterbacking an offense that failed to score a touchdown for the first time all season.

“I was just happy as an offense to execute and go out and score points,” Grossman said Sunday. "The defense and special teams gave us great opportunities, especially early to capitalize on the turnovers.”

The Bears registered their fifth takeaway of the game with 1:22 remaining when rookie Mark Anderson sacked 49ers quarterback Alex Smith, forcing a fumble that Israel Idonije recovered at the San Francisco 14.

With the win, the Bears improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1985 when they won their first 12 games en route to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl championship.

In recording their 10th consecutive home victory for the first time since winning 12 straight at Soldier Field in 1985-86, the Bears extended their lead atop the NFC North to two and a half games over the Minnesota Vikings (4-2), who host the New England Patriots Monday night.

The Bears led 10-0 before their defense even stepped onto the field. After Robbie Gould’s 43-yard field goal on the game’s opening possession, Leon Joe forced a Maurice Hicks fumble on the ensuing kickoff that was recovered by Cameron Worrell at the San Francisco 15.

Defensive tackle Tommie Harris celebrates after his 17-yard fumble return in the first quarter of Sunday's win over the 49ers.

Three plays later, Jones bounced an inside run around right tackle and waltzed into the end zone untouched for a 7-yard TD with 10:39 left in the first quarter.

“That’s tremendous when you get that kind of lead,” said defensive coordinator Ron Rivera. “Our approach, how we want to attack these guys, is a little different and it gives us a little bit more freedom in terms of the calls that we made.”

Brian Urlacher produced the defense’s first takeaway with a terrific interception. Blitzing up the middle, the All-Pro middle linebacker leaped to deflect Smith’s pass. With 6-3, 300-pound right guard Justin Smiley draped all over him, Urlacher made a one-handed catch as he was shoved backwards to the ground.

“I’m just lucky; the luckiest guy I know,” Urlacher said, downplaying his first regular-season interception since Dec. 5, 2004 against the Vikings. “I stuck my hand out there and I was able to catch it. As soon as I saw it, he had me and was trying to push me back.”

The Bears capitalized on the turnover as Grossman lofted a 5-yard TD pass over the middle to Muhammad, who beat safety Mark Roman in the back of the end zone on third-and-goal to make it 17-0 with 1:55 left in the first quarter.

The defense then generated its second takeaway on as many snaps. After eluding Urlacher in the pocket, Smith scrambled up the middle. But Lance Briggs stripped the ball from the quarterback and Tommie Harris scooped up the fumble and returned it 17 yards to the 49ers’ 13.

After Grossman’s 12-yard pass to Clark, Cedric Benson’s 1-yard TD dive widened the margin to 24-0 with 1:02 remaining in the first quarter. Hester’s punt return then set up Grossman’s 1-yard TD pass to Clark on fourth-and-goal, giving the Bears a 31-0 lead early in the second period.

After Gould’s 36-yard field goal, Todd Johnson forced an Antonio Bryant fumble after a 16-yard reception on fourth-and-six, and Ricky Manning Jr. recovered at the Chicago 30.

Grossman completed a 26-yard pass to Jason McKie, then lofted a perfect 27-yard TD pass to Clark down the middle of the field to make it 41-0 with :10 left in the half.

A 53-yard run by Frank Gore (12 carries for 111 yards) gave the 49ers a first down at the Chicago 9 early in the fourth quarter. But San Francisco had to settle for Joe Nedney's 23-yard field goal.

Smith’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Bryant then made it 41-10 with 6:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was just the fourth TD the Bears have allowed in their last 10 home games and marked the first time in that span that Chicago has failed to hold an opponent to less than 10 points at Soldier Field.