My answer for this M$ question
The answer depends on many parameters, the main of which are: 1. Yardline your offense is at 2. How many yards to go for first down 3. What down is it 4. How much wind is blowing and in what direction and is it raining or not 5. How has your running / passing game been till now 6. Are you under time pressure 7. There's probably more but I think this is quite enough already As a rule of thumb it is better to run when you need short yardage and you don't need to mind the game clock, and it would be better passing the ball when you need many yards or when time is pressuring because game clock stops automatically on incomplete passes and does not do so after a running play is stopped in bounds. Weather is a factor too as I mentioned. Windy days are usually bad for passing while rainy days are bad for running due to higher probability for fumbles
