we would be snapping the ball on 4th down with a second or two left, and that would be very easy for us to run around until the clock was a 0's.

More likely, we would have taken a few steps on 2nd and 3rd down before kneeling to run a few more seconds off the clock after each play and then we don't even have to snap the ball on 4th.

But I do agree with your point, might as well make us execute. I don't think it would be poor sportsmanship to call a timeout after our first down knee.