PAR @ AUS: Goofy end of game

[jcompton-Orlando]

Although in the long run beating Austria wouldn't have changed anything for the Musketeers (it would have made Paris' draft position slightly less favorable, and Austria's slightly more favorable), can this be considered anything other than a bug?

On the final drive, down by 1, Paris takes a knee on third down, then punts on fourth?

***
The pass from Paris's QB1 #16 Ryan Dinwiddie was incomplete. The pass was
intended for TE1 #86 Aaron Bennett. Third and just over 16 to go. That was
Pass long middle (1755) against Austria's Pass long (1753).

Paris's ball on their 29 yard line. Third and just over 16 to go. :11 left
in the fourth quarter. The score is Paris 29, Austria 30.

Paris's QB1 #16 Ryan Dinwiddie downs the ball. Dinwiddie runs for a loss of
almost 2 yards. Fourth and less than 18 to go. That was Run Clock (2385)
against Austria's Pass long (2383).

Paris's ball on their 27 yard line. Fourth and less than 18 to go. :09 left
in the fourth quarter. The score is Paris 29, Austria 30.

Paris's P1 #2 Brian Simons punts 51 yards to Austria's CB3 #27 E.J.
Underwood. Underwood fields the kick and there is no return. Net punt
yardage was 51 yards. Underwood is tackled by S1 #21 Byron Jones. First
down, Austria! First and 10 to go. That was Punt (2511) against Pass long
(2509).
***

I don't know what the strategy could possibly be here. Try to get a fumble or accidental touch on the punt return? (Speaking of which, it was idiotic of Underwood to touch the ball!) If something like this happened in a game which actually counted, I could see the losing player making a pretty serious grievance.

[Andrew-Neutral]

I agree - completely crazy play calling by the computer. I thought that the third-down call was a spike to kill the clock, but the play-by-play does say "Run Clock" which is the take-a-knee play. Then, punting with 9 seconds left. Can't make sense of it. Perhaps the game should be replayed? When the QB took a knee on third-down, however, it only ran two seconds off the clock, which implies someone called time-out. Maybe the computer thought Paris was leading, and it was Aus who called time-out?

[jcompton-Orlando]

Perhaps the game should be replayed?

That could really only switch around draft selection at this point, and as I've given up the team I won't make that argument.

I do think that if something so egregious happened during a game whose outcome wasn't mostly trivial, though, it would be grounds for it to be replayed. After the 100 yard TD play today, obviously anything is possible.

[Andrew-Neutral]

I guess the Paris coach realised that winning the game would give them a worse draft pick, so he decided not to bother trying for the winning field goal! Is there a rule against throwing a game? Didn't Rich McKay get fined by the NFL when he told his Buccaneers team to let the Jets score in the final game of the 1983 season?

[Paul-London]

Very strange !  The computer normally goes for it whatever late in a game regardless of the yards and down.  Its like they just gave up !