Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz has played down defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh's controversial low block on Minnesota Vikings centre John Sullivan.

Suh tackled Sullivan at knee height during Sunday's match between the two sides as he tried to help linebacker DeAndre Levy reach the end zone following an interception.

Levy went on to score a touchdown with his run, but the play was disallowed after officials flagged Suh's block, and Schwartz revealed that his side's loss of points was the thing that upset him most about the incident.

"I talked to [Suh] on the field about it, because obviously it cost us. I don't think it was any attempt to injure or things like that," Schwartz told reporters.

"It wasn't 40 yards behind the play. It wasn't hitting a guy from behind — some of the things that we've seen from some other players recently, going low and hitting guys from behind.

"In my mind, the biggest thing was taking some momentum away from us at that point, and also taking that score off the board."

The Detroit Lions went on to win the game 34-24.