Cosell: “Crabtree is really, really effective against linebackers and safeties.”

Greg Cosell spoke on KNBR Monday afternoon. Here’s what he said about Michael Crabtree.

Q: Where is the Packers’ defense vulnerable?

COSELL: I think they’re vulnerable inside with their linebackers. I think that it will be very interesting to see how the 49ers use Michael Crabtree. One of the things they’ve done effectively is, in base personnel, spread the field and have Crabtree inside.

Crabtree is really, really effective working against linebackers and safeties. I think back to the touchdown against the New England, the seam route. That was base personnel – I think they were on the 27 yard line going in, which is sort of the “go zone” for the 49ers offense – and they had Crabtree as the inside slot receiver on the three receiver side, with Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker outside of him. It was base personnel so the Patriots stayed with their base defense, and they got Crabtree running his route against Brandon Spikes and two safeties.

That’s one thing I you want to try to do against the Packers. You can beat A.J. Hawk in the pass game. You want to make him have to cover.