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Ndamukong Suh accused of taunting injured QB Matt Ryan

Ndamukong Suh (90) of the Detroit Lions smiles while playing the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field on October 23, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. Atlanta won the game 23-16. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

It's no secret that Lions' stud defensive end Ndamukong Suh has a reputation.

He's been called a "dirty" player.

He's been voted one of the meanest players in the NFL.

But did he taunt Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan as he lay writhing in pain on the turf in the third quarter after injuring his ankle?

Yes he did (and so did his teammate Cliff Avril), according to several Falcons players.

"I lost a whole lot of respect for 90 (Suh) today, and also 92 (Avril), the (bleep) they were doing when Matt got hurt," Atlanta wide receiver Roddy White told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

"That was unacceptable. ... Like 92 was kicking his feet, saying, 'Get him off the field.' We don't do stuff like that. We don't rally over guys when they get hurt. It was just inappropriate behavior."

Ryan said he didn't hear any of the apparent comments but Falcons center Todd McClure corroborated White's version of what transpired.

"I had respect for Suh before the game," McClure told the Journal Constitution. "But when Matt was on the ground, the things he was saying and the trash he was talking was definitely uncalled for. ... (He said), 'Get the cart' and several other things that I can't repeat."

Avril denied the accusations and threw back one of his own over Twitter.

"Come on, I'm not in the business of hurting not one guy on the field ... I would never taunt anyone on an injury..." he tweeted, adding: "But if we want to talk about dirty players look at the film and see who prides themselves on being durty..."

Suh has yet to comment on the accusation but it's safe to say he will repeat what he said in August when asked if he was a dirty player.

"There's always a fine line of dirtiness and a fine line of aggressiveness," Suh said at the time. "I know to this point that in my own heart that I haven't crossed that line by any means."

In the end, Matt Ryan got the last laugh, throwing two touchdowns as the Falcons won the game 23-16. But it will be interesting to see what lines are crossed and what trash is talked if these two teams cross paths in the playoffs in January.

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