EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –- Justin Tuck isn’t finished studying up on the Falcons’ offensive line yet.

So he doesn’t have much to say about Atlanta's big boys up front -- just that he didn’t call them names before last season’s playoff meeting.

“I never called them a dirtbag,” Tuck said.

Prior to the Giants and Falcons wild card meeting, Tuck said he knew the Falcons’ offensive line had a less-than-stellar reputation for playing past the whistle.

“We know they have that quote-unquote reputation," Tuck said before the Giants beat the Falcons 24-2. "But in a way it kind of is exciting. Most people, you would call them dirtbags. But it is what it is. We got to make sure we do our job and if we are doing our job well, then they will be upset and they will be trying to do things to get us off our game and we got to take that as a compliment. But in the same sense you got to protect yourself and hopefully the referees have 20/20 vision."

Tuck steered clear of saying anything controversial this week.

He also said the Falcons never said anything to him while on the field during the wild card game.

“No,” Tuck said. “Because I think they read the whole quote and saw me say that never did I call them a dirtbag. Smart guys down in Atlanta.”