Brooks looking for fast start

<p>SANTA CLARA — The 49ers now consider Ahmad Brooks a “starter” in the team's nickel defense.</p><p>Brooks doesn't actually start, of course, unless the 49ers happen to open the game with five defensive backs. Regardless, the 49ers want to see Brooks start better Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks than he did a week ago.</p><p>“He just needed to time up the snap a little bit better and watch the ball being snapped and take off like he normally does in practice,” 49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said Thursday.</p><p>Brooks, who has played inside linebacker most of his career, played 30 snaps after replacing Manny Lawson as one of the team's two defensive ends in pass-rush situations. Too often, Brooks was flatfooted at the snap of the ball last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.</p><p>“Basically, I have to just go out and play fast on every play,” Brooks said. “For me, it's just a matter of getting off the ball. That'll help me out this game. I have to be able to read the center and read the quarterback, so I can be quick at the snap.</p><p>“When I was out there getting off the ball, I was doing pretty well. I was pushing the pocket.”</p><p>Brooks was credited with one quarterback pressure against Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard. Brooks, who has one sack on the season, expects a lot more of himself.</p><p>“This is a great opportunity to get some playing time,” Brooks said. “I just think as time goes on, I'll get better.”</p><p>Manusky said Lawson will continue to be used as a nickel pass rusher, in addition to his use as a starting outside linebacker. In fact, Brooks, Lawson and starter Parys Haralson will form a three-man rotation to keep each of their outside linebackers fresh.</p><p>Lawson leads the 49ers with 4.5 sacks, while Haralson ranks second with 3.5 sacks. But Lawson has not provided consistent pressure with his pass rush. He is fourth on the team with 21 quarterback pressures.</p><p>“It's a long season,” Manusky said. “I'm going to rely on everybody, especially in pass-rush situations. The more guys that you have, the better off you're going to be. I don't think it's a negative at all because he'll still be in there at times as well.”</p><h3>SPREAD OR NO?</h3> <p>When 49ers quarterback Alex Smith lines up 5 yards behind center, some refer to that as the “spread” offense. But offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye is not fond of that term. In his offense, it's simply known as “the gun.”</p><p>“I really don't like the term ‘spread,'” Raye said. “That's a total misnomer to what we do. . . What we do is what we've been doing since I've been here. It's a formation shotgun for us. We don't have a quarterback running the spread offense in college like Tim Tebow. To me, that's what spread is.”</p><p>Regardless of what it's called, Raye believes running back Frank Gore is a good fit for the offense. Former 49ers quarterback Steve Young, speaking on his KNBR radio show, suggested the 49ers should go ahead and trade Gore if they decide to exclusively run that offense.</p><p>“I think most coaches would think Frank Gore is a pretty good fit for most offensive systems,” Raye said. “He will be very successful, in my opinion, in the offense that we're running because it won't really change what he does. The only thing that basically is changed is he's not running into the line with a lead blocking fullback in front of him.”</p><h3>EXTRA POINTS</h3> <p>Running back Michael Robinson (shoulder) returned to full practice on Thursday. He did not play Sunday against Jacksonville and was limited in practice on Wednesday.</p><p>Linebacker Takeo Spikes (hamstring), safety Michael Lewis (quadriceps) and defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer (shoulder) did not practice Thursday, and are listed as day-to-day.</p><p>Receiver Isaac Bruce (ankle), tackle Joe Staley (knee) and cornerback Nate Clements (shoulder) did not practice and will not play Sunday.</p><p>For more on the 49ers, go to Instant 49ers at blog.pressdemocrat.com/49ers. You can reach Staff Writer Matt Maiocco at matt.maiocco@</p><p>pressdemocrat.com</p>