Spike vs timeout in a 2 minute drill

Both stop the clock. A spike costs you a down; a timeout costs you one of your three timeouts. Picking the right one is one of the most common decisions in a 2 minute drill.

In the 289 real late-game drives in our archive, coaches spiked the ball about 69 times and called 391 timeouts, so timeouts were used far more often.

When to spike it

• Early downs with time to spare. On 1st or 2nd down, a spike keeps your timeouts for later, when you may need one to stop the clock after a run or to set up a field goal.
• After a completion in bounds with no timeouts left. It's the only way to stop the clock.
• When the offense needs to line up anyway. A spike takes roughly 8–10 seconds from the end of the play: players sprint to the line and the quarterback throws it into the ground.

When to burn a timeout

• 3rd down. Spiking on 3rd down leaves you with one play to convert; the lost down usually costs more than the timeout.
• Inside about 15 seconds. A spike's own runoff can eat a whole play. A timeout stops the clock instantly.
• Before a field goal. With the clock running and the kicking unit coming on, a timeout guarantees the kick gets off.
• To keep a play available. If you need two shots at the end zone, the down is worth more than the timeout.

Quick rules of thumb

These are rules of thumb, not laws: score, field position and how many timeouts the defense has all change the answer. In 2 Minute Drill every spike or timeout you choose is graded against the alternatives by win probability, so you can test your instincts on real drives.