Seahawks rookie LB Aaron Curry gets his shot against Lions

John Niyo / The Detroit News

Allen Park -- A week after getting heckled by a small group of fans late in a loss to St. Louis, Matthew Stafford might find himself in another awkward spot Sunday at Seattle: getting harassed by Seahawks rookie Aaron Curry, the linebacker Lions fans were clamoring for as the top pick before the draft in April.

Stafford was the Lions' choice with the No. 1 overall choice, but at the team's new logo unveiling the week of the draft, fans chanted, "Cur-ry! Cur-ry!" and "Don't draft Staf-ford!" while team president Tom Lewand laughed, perhaps a bit uncomfortably.

Curry might have been the Lions' fallback choice at the top of the draft, but he ended up going fourth to Seattle after the Lions hammered out a six-year, $72 million deal with Stafford the night before the draft.

So is it time for a little payback as the Seahawks (2-5) host Stafford and the 1-6 Lions at noisy Qwest Field on Sunday?

"I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm going to personalize this game to Detroit for passing me up or anything," Curry said Thursday in an interview on WDFN 1130. "Every game I go out there and play every Sunday, my plan is to make my opponents pay just for being my opponent."

Still, this opponent is a little more familiar, he admits.

"I always gave myself a shot," said Curry, who visited Allen Park at the same time newly acquired linebacker Julian Peterson did back in March. "I thought they were looking at me legitimately to be the No. 1 pick overall in the draft, and I was just excited to be mentioned in the same sentence."

Excited, too, to hear the fans chanting his name back in April.

"It felt great: That's one of those moments I felt like Muhammad Ali, you know? Everybody chanting your name," said Curry, who actually has two dogs named Laila and Ali. "But, you know, it was just exciting to read about that and see that the fans would've been very excited to have me out there in Detroit."

Stafford and Curry actually spent time together last winter training at the Athlete Performance Institute in Tempe, Ariz., to prepare for the NFL scouting combine. They also were among the top draft prospects invited to spend a few days in New York leading up to the draft.

"I know him pretty well. He's a good guy," Stafford said. "We had a good time when we were in New York and when we trained together in Arizona. And he's been pretty successful for them. He looks pretty good on tape, and is making some plays."

After signing a six-year, $60 million deal ($34 million guaranteed), Curry quickly assumed a starting role at strong-side linebacker for the Seahawks. He ranks second on the team in tackles (39) and has two sacks and two forced fumbles this season.

"Aaron has had some really great flash plays, where he has just looked phenomenal, and then he has had some rookie errors that you would expect," coach Jim Mora Jr. said. "We're just looking for a week-to-week, down-to-down consistency out of him, and he's getting there."

Curry was asked if he planned to renew acquaintances with Stafford on the field Sunday.

"I'm excited about playing against Matthew," he said. "And when I see him, I'll see him."

But will Stafford see him coming?

"I guess that's the question," Curry added, laughing.

Extra points

Receiver Calvin Johnson (knee) and running back Kevin Smith (shoulder) are expected to play Sunday at Seattle.

"As long as everything keeps going the way it is the next (two) days, I'll be all right," Johnson said after practicing again Friday.

The Lions' only other injury uncertainty for Sunday is defensive end Jason Hunter , who missed the last two games because of an ankle injury. But he also practiced again Friday and said he's ready to play.

john.niyo@detnews.com (313) 982-3810