[More Cowbell]

As for unwritten rules, that's bull. I've played and helped coach football, and there's no rule, written or not, that says you have to quit when you still have a chance to win. Even if it is a really small chance.

If they're down by more than 8 points, then yeah, it's over. Even if you force a fumble, there's not enough time to tie it up if you trail by more than 1 score. So you let them take a knee and be done. But that wasn't the case here. All they needed was one score, so no, the game was not decided yet.

If the team that's ahead wants to pretend the game is over while taking a knee, that's fine. But don't get mad when the other team makes a LEGAL play because they don't want to concede a game that's still in doubt.