[Rain Man]

One thing I've been noticing for a while is that spikes seem to be used before time outs in many situations, and I think timeouts would be used first. Here's an example:

Dallas is leading 6-0 and there are three minutes left in the half. They have three time outs. But driving with 3:12 left, they spike the ball on first down. I think in real life you'd use the first time out here instead of spiking.

You may have more advanced logic, but it seems to me like you'd do something like this:

If you have 2 or 3 timeouts and and there's more than 2 minutes left, you call a timeout.

If you have 2 timeouts and there's more than 1 minute left, you call a timeout.

If you have 1 timeout, you don't use it unless you're in the last minute and can't spike it.

Dallas
2nd Q 4:30 1st and 10 Dallas 30 free agent scrambles for 10 yards.
2nd Q 3:48 2nd and inches Dallas 40 free agent (pressured) passes complete to Dustin Keller for a gain of -4 yards.
2nd Q 3:26 3rd and 4 Dallas 36 free agent passes complete to Lee Evans for a gain of 8 yards.
2nd Q 3:12 1st and 10 Dallas 44 free agent spikes the ball to kill the clock.
2nd Q 3:10 2nd and 10 Dallas 44 free agent (pressured) passes incomplete to Dustin Keller. PENALTY. Neutral Zone Infraction on Kevin Williams. 5 yards.
2nd Q 3:02 2nd and 5 Dallas 49 free agent passes complete to Steve Breaston for a gain of 34 yards.
2nd Q 2:17 1st and 10 Duluth 17 Brandon Jacobs rushes for -4 yards. Fumble, recovered by Dallas Two minute warning.
2nd Q 2:00 2nd and 14 Duluth 21 free agent passes incomplete to Jerome Simpson.
2nd Q 1:53 3rd and 14 Duluth 21 free agent passes incomplete to Steve Breaston.
2nd Q 1:46 4th and 14 Duluth 21 Stephen Gostkowski field goal attempt from 38 yards. Good.
Dallas 9, Duluth 0