See what I did there? I substituted a "Qu" for the "K" in "Kitna," this making it seem like Jon Kitna might be a quitter. And here's why I'd do such a thing.

With just a couple of minutes to play in the Lions game against the Packers, Jon Kitna threw an interception. To be more precise, he threw his 3rd interception, and as Nick Collins was taking it to the house for six, Kitna was unbuckling his chin strap, taking his helmet off, and moping to the sidelines.

You can sort of see what happened if you skip ahead to the 4:09 mark here. Kitna throws the pickle, Collins darts to the endzone, and the next shot is of Kitna with his helmet already off, walking in the other direction.

You might argue that instead, Kitna should have been making an effort to tackle Collins. And if you've ever played football, you've heard constantly that you play "until the whistle blows." Pro Football Talk excoriates him for his behavior, and a columnist in the Daily Tribune isn't too happy about it, either.

I'm not as inclined to hammer him for it. First, if his teammates and coaches aren't upset about it (and they're not), then why should I be? Second, what did he have, about a 10% chance of even getting a hand on Nick Collins, and a 1% chance of actually making the tackle? It wasn't going to happen. And that touchdown made it a 23-point game with 2:00 to play.

"Play to the whistle blows" is something that sounds nice in Disney movies starring Matthew McConaughey, but is it really practical advice? Or is it just something Pop Warner coaches tell little kids, so they don't stand there playing with their bully button while the ball carrier runs right past them? Honestly, is there a point to a lumbering 350-lb. defensive lineman running sprinting downfield, even when a guy like Darren Sproles has a 40-yard lead on him? Of course not.

There's a practical time for giving up on a play, and Jon Kitna's enough of a veteran to know when that is.