BOX Football - Game 3 at Louisville

I stepped in some dog shit while picking up broken tree parts knocked down as part of Chicago's weak ass "Storm of the Century," but didn't realize it until I was about the start the game and wondered why it smelled so much like crap in my living room.  Let's hope the BOX is not inspired to also stink it up.

The BOX goes on the road for the first time this year. It's off to Papa John's Stadium to take on Louisville.

1st Quarter - The BOX gets the ball first, and 3 plays in Jandy goes down with an injury.
Jandy's back is spasming, he'll be back.
Nick to Louie for a 18-yard TD. You can't play zone against Louie, he'll always find the hole.
Louisville goes 3 and out after a Ryno sack.
After we also go 3 and out, Woodyard drops a sure pick-6 but then makes a good tackle on 3rd down.
3 plays after fumbling (an O-lineman recovered) PJ is still so ashamed of his fumble that he runs face first into a flying shoulder tackle. He's hurt.
7-0 BOX after one.

2nd Quarter - Apparently the flying tackle hit PJ in the thigh, he'll miss a quarter with a thigh bruise.
Laura is just short on a 48-yard FG.
Now Woodyard is hurt. (6th player to get hurt this game)
Bob's back is all jacked up and he's going to miss at least the rest of this game with spasms.
Ryno gets his 2nd sack of the day forcing a punt which is downed at the 2.
2 plays later it's a pick-6 for Louisville. Oops. 7-7.
The next drive looks like it's going to stall on 3rd and 20 until Kaylor makes a spectacular falling on his head catch at the 1.
Unfortunately all we do from there is lose 3 yards and settle for a FG. 10-7 BOX
Settling for a FG may have been a mistake. Louisville 2-minute offenses their way right into the endzone after I completely blow a 3rd down coverage. Louisville leads 14-10
As an added bonus, Nick throws an INT trying to make something happen at the end of the half, luckily Louisville bounces the FG attempt off the upright. Halftime Louisville 14 - BOX 10

3rd quarter - Starts strangely. Louisville completes 3 straight passes and still has to punt.
BOX punts it right back.
Louisvilles running back gets hurt (8th of the game) and they punt. Greg (9th) gets hurt on the return.
We try to run the WildBOX and Dave gets squashed for a loss of 4.
Greg has a spasmy back, but he'll return.
Maybe football just isn't our game. After throwing the 2nd pick-6 of the day we challenge Louisville to a spelling contest. Louisville 21-10
Either Louisville has resigned Elvis Dumervil for this game or our offensive line stinks. After 2 more sacks we're force to punt. It's not looking good.
Jay downs it at the 2, but we let them right out of the hole.
We are definitely losing the battle in the trenches. Just counted to 8 mississippi before Louisville QB had to throw. By that time a guy had gotten open.
End of 3. Down 21-10

4th quarter - We dodge a bullet when Louisville misses the FG.
Bullet undodged. 4th INT of the day and that should just about do it. On the plus side, Tommy ripped down the guy who made the pick by the facemask and knocked him out of the game. (10th injury)
Baum refuses to quit! INT. Time to call in a few favors with the officials.
Unfortunately we can not move the ball and are too deep in our own territory to go for it on 4th and 2. Punt. Really up shit creek now.
The only thing keeping us in the game is Louisville's terrible kicker. He's 0-3 on FGs.
There is hope! Nick leads a no huddle quick strike drive downfield and hits Werley with a 15-yard TD pass and then scrambles it in for the 2-pt conv. 7 plays 65 yards, only 1:00 off the clock.  Louisville 21 - BOX 18 with 4 minutes to go.
The D forces a 3 and out! (after Shalvi drops a sure INT, doh!) BOX gets the ball back with 3:38 remaining.
PJ busts a 40+ yard run on 2nd and 5 and now I'm worried about scoring to quickly.
Yep, this could be a problem.  After PJ's run the Louisville D holds and we settle for a 31-yard FG from Laura. Still 2:11 left. Way too much time. 21-21.
Ugh, sickening. Louisville QB bounces off a sack from Bill, then injury sub Ryan (not Ryno) covers the wrong part of the field in zone D. BIG Louisville completion.
But the D holds. 1st and 2nd down run stuffs and then on a huge 3rd down Louisville calls a screen pass but never gets the ball off. Bill with the sack! One minute to go, we're out of timeouts and it comes down to Louisville's terrible FG kicker from 48-yards. No way he misses this one.
It's long enough... but it's wide left! NO GOOD!  BOX ball at our own 31.
We pick up one first down but then out of time outs have to spike the ball and then throw two incomplete passes. Meanwhile, a guy with a chainsaw just pulled up in front of my house.
Punt to our 5. Looks like OT.
They actually try to run a play and lose 3 yards (so close!) We're going to overtime.

OT - We win the coin toss and go on D.
1st play of OT, AND THE BALL IS LOOSE! Ryno is on top of it! What a play by Pete!
If you guessed we were not going to throw the ball, you are correct. PJ run for 6. Dave run for 6. Dave run for 6. Dave hurt on the play (11th player this game.)
I call a time out before our play to change the strategy to HOLD ON TO THE BALL, before trying to run PJ into the middle of the line to set up a FG.  Guess what happens next?
PJ FUMBLES!!
But the center is there and picks the ball up off of PJs neck to get the recovery and keep the game alive.
Oh, and we go to the booth and it turns out PJ didn't fumble afterall, he was already down.
Laura drills the 23-yard FG and the BOX pulls the comeback victory on the road out of their ass!
Final score - BOX 24 - Louisville 21 in OT.
It's an ESPN Instant Classic with a score of 517. I don't know what that number means, but hey, 517!

Ryno was named Player of the Game.
Stats are here.