Matthew Stafford has gone up against Aaron Rodgers 17 times in his career. He’d surely like his record to be better in those games, winning just four of them.
But all that matters is the next one, and it’ll take place on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium.
Stafford and the Rams are visiting Rodgers and the Jets this weekend in what’s a key game for Los Angeles’ playoff hopes. The Jets have nothing to play for besides pride, owning an unsightly 4-10 record, but they still have a future Hall of Fame quarterback and one of the best wide receiver tandems in football.
Having faced Rodgers more than a dozen times before, Stafford knows it’s going to be a challenge on Sunday.
“It’s always a good battle,” Stafford said. “A ton of respect for him. Great player in this league, an all-time great, has unbelievable talent and has accomplished a bunch. It’s always a challenge going against him.”
Stafford couldn’t pinpoint one battle against Rodgers that stands out among the rest, which is understandable A) given the number of times they’ve played each other and B) his disappointing 4-13 record.
He’s also not putting too much stock in their next matchup on Sunday, looking at it as just another game on the schedule.
“I’m just excited to go up there and play,” Stafford said. “Obviously, meaningful football in the month of December is an awesome thing to be a part of. We’ve earned that and we’ve got to continue to earn that opportunity to play games that matter. This just happens to be the next one on the list. I have a ton of respect for Aaron and have competed against him a bunch of times in my career. He’s a hell of a player and does a great job. He’s still doing a really good job for them. He played fantastic in the last couple of weeks. He looks to be healthy, moving around and doing his thing.”
Rodgers may not be playing at a high level like we’ve been used to seeing throughout his career, but it’s not as if he’s a bottom-tier quarterback. And he’s shown flashes of still being able to move around quite well, rushing for 45 yards on six attempts last week in Jacksonville.
The Rams aren’t going to take this matchup lightly, especially with a four-time NFL MVP on the other side.