TeSlaa's big moment rightfully won't be remembered

The moment was celebrated by the Lions on social media as a way of encouraging fans to trust the organization. There's a long list of skills, attributes and intangibles TeSlaa brings to the team that provide plenty of reason to believe the former Wing-T quarterback has what's necessary to be a contributor for a long time.

However, what should have been a celebratory night floating on Cloud Nine until the next practice came to an abrupt halt because of a moment for which the Lions should, unfortunately, be even more proud of their team.

During the early minutes of the fourth quarter, Lions defensive back Morice Norris went in for what appeared to be a routine tackle against Atlanta rookie Nathan Carter. He came in face mask first, which is how players are instructed to hit now to avoid injuries from crown of the helmet contact.

However, Norris' head snapped back during the hit, leaving him laying on the ground for roughly 20 minutes as a swarm of trainers immediately rushed the field and an ambulance arrived. Players knelt where they could, many on the field, as they prayed intially for signs of life, and eventually signs of movement.

After what felt like an entire game's worth of tense hours, paramedics were able to get Norris onto a stretcher and remove him from the field. Play was expected to resume as nearly a whole quarter was required to officially finish.

Shaken by the weight of the moment, players were torn between what their bosses required and what their hearts told them was possible.

"I don't think anyone on that sideline wanted to play," Lions quarterback Kyle Allen said. "We weren't part of that decision, but you could just look in everyone's eyes and see it wasn't worth it."

There was no option that avoided resuming play, but in an act of calculated resistance similar to the ending of the Hunger Games, players and coaches decided to technically follow the rules while putting forth a twist they could live with. The NFL required a snap, but nothing in the rules at the moment said a play had to actually be fully executed.

So long as a tackle did not happen, there was nothing the league could do to stop the clock. So, Falcons quarterback Emory Jones casually took the snap and held the ball while players from both teams stood and patiently watched the clock count down before eventually circling up and holding hands.

"{Atlanta head coach] Raheem Morris is the ultimate class act," Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. "We agreed it just didn't feel right to finish that game."

For nearly 10 minutes the players highjacked the production while the league struggled to determine how to handle the situation. There were commercial spots that needed to be played and players standing around refusing to fully participate in the game was something fans would likely only stick around to watch for so long.

Finally, with 6:31 left on the clock, the NFL brought the play to an end by suspending the game and bringing a halt to what surely will go down as the league's unofficial longest play.

A statement put out by the Lions said Norris was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital and was reportedly in stable condition with "feeling and movement in all extremities."

When TeSlaa caught his first touchdown, it was one of the biggest moments of his life. However, by the time the night was over, he had been part of the biggest moment in team history, and it will stay that way, even if Detroit one day gets over the hump and wins the Super Bowl.

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