I really do want Ladell Bettis on the team

Halfway through the NFL's first week of preseason games, the Redskins are the only team which has yet to score a single point.

Even Denver, which got some downright craptastic play from starting QB Kyle Orton, managed to get 16 points out of Chris Simms.

But, on the plus side, at least the Redskins don't have anyone named "Kyle Orton" on their roster.

I don't expect the Redskins to go another game without scoring a point (heaven help Jim Zorn if they do, even in preseason), but Zorn - as an offensive coach - probably is pretty frustrated right now.





So Ladell Betts was wearing a "Bettis" jersey for part of Thursday night. Too bad Betts didn't turn into Jerome Bettis -- on the field. That would have made Thursday night's game much more entertaining. As such, it was mostly a snoozer, sadly.

Here's what Betts had to say after the game:

"Actually, I do like Jerome Bettis, but I don't prefer to have his name on my back," he said. "I wasn't upset or anything. I think the equipment people felt bad, but I wasn't mad at them."

Nice to take the high road.

• I really don't want to see Brian Orakpo out in coverage. I think he's a tremendous pass rusher, but he looks stiff to me. And that's OK. He played a strict defensive end in college, and here he's being asked to do something different, and he's learning. I think, and sincerely hope, the team is looking at how Baltimore has used "linebacker" Terrell Suggs, which is to say, the basically call him a linebacker but use him as a pass rusher 90 percent of the time.

• I didn't mention Malcolm Kelly in Thursday's update, but it was really great to see the second-year receiver on the field and contributing. I'm still not sure if Malcolm is sure about his knee, but he didn't seem too unsure about it. He made one spectacular catch over the middle from Todd Collins that showed off why the team drafted him.

• I really hope kickers Shaun Suisham and Dave Rayner get more work next week. Like, really hope. I, yes, I, need to find out of Rayner can play. Not sure why the team is even considering keeping Suisham, as he finished dead last in field goal percentage last season. But I digress.
  

Some Redskins links

• Mark "Om" Steven breaks down Jason Campbell's six pass plays. Great writeup. Highly recommend.
  
• Six former team employees file suit over unpaid overtime wages.
• Team historian (I think it's fair to call him that?) Rich Tandler: There's no cause for alarm. If he says it, it must be true.
  
• Redskins blogger Matt Terl gets all excited about Thursday's game ... then remembers it's preseason.