Arrowhead Addict
FanSided

The toughest matchups in George Karlaftis’ rookie season

By Lucas Strozinsky

Apr 28, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis after being selected as the thirtieth overall pick to the Kansas City Chiefs during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft at the NFL Draft Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis after being selected as the thirtieth overall pick to the Kansas City Chiefs during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft at the NFL Draft Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) celebrates after making a catch for a touchdown with offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (79) and quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) in the first quarter in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) celebrates after making a catch for a touchdown with offensive tackle Rob Havenstein (79) and quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) in the first quarter in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Matthew Stafford/Rob Havenstein, Los Angeles Rams

Fresh off of a super bowl victory, Matthew Stafford and Rob Havenstein will be a tough matchup for rookie George Karlaftis. Havenstein is one of the most underrated offensive linemen in all of football and Stafford is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.

Matthew Stafford, similar to Tom Brady, does not waste a lot of time in the pocket and is a relatively good escape artist. Stafford is also tough as nails and George Karlaftis’ game-long motor may not be as effective against a quarterback who can match that.

Rob Havenstein is one of the most underrated right tackles in football. According to PFF ($), Havenstein earned a run-blocking grade of 82.2, a pass-blocking grade of 77.5, and a very good overall grade of 83.4, the latter of which was good enough for 9th among all tackles and third among right tackles last season. Havenstein is a complete player and will be a good test for a rookie who’s still looking to grow his ability in run defense.

Week 12 against the Rams will be a great measuring stick game for George Karlaftis and it will show how much he’s grown throughout the season. It will be a tough matchup, not just for the Chiefs, but for Karlaftis as an individual.

Home/Chiefs Roster