Old man dinosaur wisdom is to run it on 1st down to eventually make a short 3rd down. Or, if you pass it on 1st down, to run it on 2nd down to make it a short 3rd down. However, the stats say you're much, much better off just throwing it. The Bills, in close games, throw it on 1st and 2nd down more than anybody in the league not named the Kansas City Chiefs