Unless absolutely necessary, spiking the ball to save time is indeed a very low IQ play.
You really don’t save much time anyway. Spiking or not, the offense still has to lineup and get set.
So once you do that, have a pre-arranged play so you don’t have to waste time calling the play on the line or in the huddle, and you don’t waste any time at all.
In the specific play that was referenced, it might’ve been Dak’s fault or might’ve been the coaches fault or probably both.
But yes it’s a low IQ play, and it is not restricted to the Cowboys or Dak .
Speaking of low IQ , I’ve never forgiven the Cowboys low IQ coach for TWICE kicking a field goal on fourth and goal at the one in the 1st quarter against Seattle in a playoff game when he was Green Bay’s coach. It cost them the game.
That locked in my mind as McCarthy being low IQ, & I’ve never seen him do anything that made me change my mind.