to get a first down. In this case one first down salts the game away. Downside of course is risk of interception or incompletion which stops the clock. Weis was lambasted for trying to pass in the 2008 case. Now runs up the middle are being criticized as not being a good strategy because the defense knows its coming and is stacking the line versus the idea of punting and not stopping the clock and letting your defense stop them or special team punter pin them down.