Aaron Rodgers Says Criticisms of Rams' Matthew Stafford are 'Trash Comments'

Matthew Stafford is taking some heat after two straight ugly performances, but he found an ally in an unlikely source. 

Aaron Rodgers appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday and called the criticism of Stafford's play "trash comments." 

"Those are trash comments. I'm a huge Stafford fan. I have been for a long time," Rodgers said. "We played against him [in Detroit] so many years. One of the most gifted throwers of the football, definitely of my generation and I'd put him up there with some of the most gifted guys ever to throw the football. ... I'm not here for any Matthew Stafford trash talk."

An MVP candidate over the first half of the season, Stafford has thrown four interceptions in losses to the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers. Picks have plagued Stafford over the course of his NFL career; he's had at least 10 interceptions in every healthy season.

The turnovers haven't done much to hurt Stafford's standing among the best quarterbacks in the league. He remains the leader in QBR despite back-to-back off weeks and is well on his way to making his second career Pro Bowl.

One thing worth monitoring, however, is how the Rams offense looks without Robert Woods. The Rams signed Odell Beckham Jr. last week, but he and Woods are far from a one-for-one substitution. Woods is arguably the NFL's best run-blocking wide receiver, which allows the Rams to have a ton of success running out of three-wideout sets. 

Stafford and Co. will have a bye week to get things worked out and acclimate Beckham to their system for Week 12, but there is reason to believe the second half of 2021 won't be as smooth as the first.