Center Dominic Raiola doesn't want to see rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford go through what former Lions quarterback Joey Harrington did in Detroit.

After the Lions' final offensive play in Sunday's 17-10 loss to St. Louis, when Stafford threw the ball out of bounds on fourth-and-20, some hecklers started getting on Stafford.

Raiola said he fired back at about three or four fans. He said he loved the fans in general but would always stick up for his teammates.

And he brought up Harrington, the No. 3 pick in the 2002 draft, who went 18-37 as a starter in Detroit and was a frequent target of abuse. He said fans should back up Stafford, the No. 1 pick this year.

"You want to run him out of town already?" Raiola said. "You know what I'm saying? That just hit home with me because I've been through it with Joey. I've been through it. They sent him packing. Quick. And they're not going to do it to this guy. I'm going to be right here next to him."

Asked what Raiola said to the fans, Stafford told WJR radio in Detroit: "I don't even remember, to tell you the truth. He didn't say anything terrible. He was just like, 'Give him a break,' 'Get out of here,' that kind of thing. It wasn't a big-time verbal altercation or anything. Yeah, he's right. They're not going to run me out of town. I'm not too worried about it."

Stafford shrugged it off.

"They want to win probably as bad as we do, and it's understandable," Stafford said. "They're going to get after guys when the team's not playing well. I like to think that I do a pretty good job of letting that stuff go.

"Dom was just standing next to me and was like, 'Hey, man, don't let that stuff get to you.' And I know that. I've been in tough situations before. It's just great to have a guy like Dom on your side. The guy comes to work every day trying to get better and to have him on the field next to us is great."

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