Take Four | Sports desk talks NFL, UFC and more

Drake Maye is an NFL MVP candidate // Pablo Aizenman, Staff Writer

This NFL season, Drake Maye has taken huge offensive strides, making himself a contender in the race for MVP. As it stands, he sits ninth in MVP odds, but his performance through the first six weeks — leading the Patriots to a 4-2 record — tells us that he can climb higher.

Currently, he is fifth in the NFL in passing yards, surpassing 1,500 and sitting less than 20 yards from third. Had there not been multiple questionable calls in the Patriots’ matchup against the Saints, he would sit in third. 

Maye is currently on track to throw for around 4,500 yards. If he continues this elite level of play, he’ll land right among other elite quarterbacks in the NFL. His efficiency is also important to take note of, with a second-best 73.2% completion rate, highlighting his ability to make smart throws at the right time. 

Maye doesn’t just make smart throws — he doesn’t throw many bad ones, either. He has thrown 10 total touchdowns against two interceptions. While Maye is still seen as an MVP dark horse, he is, without a doubt, on the radar of MVP voters already. If this elite level of play is to continue, the conversation surrounding Maye will soon shift from “dark horse” to “favorite.”

The Steelers are legitimate Super Bowl contenders // Matthew Scabilloni, Sports Editor

The narrative around the Pittsburgh Steelers for the past few years has been that they are good enough to earn a .500 record and make the playoffs, but not much more than that. This year feels a little bit different.

Why? 

Because they have a quarterback who can run the offense efficiently in Aaron Rodgers. They have a star wide receiver in DK Metcalf. They have a running back duo that is improving each week. And they still have an elite defense. 

So why not this year? They have the makings of a Super Bowl-winning team. They are never going to fall back far enough because of their elite defense, and they now have the offense that can keep pace when the defense does falter. 

Obviously, the games will get tougher when they make it to the postseason, but for now, the Steelers have a very favorable regular-season schedule in front of them, which will make it easier for them to attain home field advantage in the playoffs. 

And if the Steelers have home field advantage, they have an even greater chance to earn their seventh Lombardi in 2026.

Boston doesn’t rebuild … it reloads // Rithika Praturu, Staff Writer

Boston is the greatest sports city in the world. People love to talk about the so-called “drought” — usually pointing to the Patriots not winning a Super Bowl since 2019. Let’s be honest, that isn’t exactly ancient history. But let’s not forget, this city was built on championships. Winning isn’t a phase to Bostonians — it’s the norm.

Look at the talent that’s come through Boston — Tom Brady, David Ortiz, Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Bobby Orr and now Jayson Tatum. They are all generational talents. Boston doesn’t just produce great athletes. It invests in them. The city pours money, pride and passion into its teams, building dynasties that feel more like family than a franchise. 

In recent years, success has been far from gone. The Boston Renegades have dominated women’s football, claiming national titles in 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Celtics made back-to-back Finals appearances in 2022 and 2023. The Patriots are in transition, but they’re on their way back to the top. The Bruins, Red Sox and Cannons have all stayed competitive and consistently towards the top of the leagues. 

The drought people love to complain about? In Boston, that’s just us letting everyone else catch up.

Alex Pereira is the UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter // Austin Lenhardt-Barley, Staff Writer

During the main event of the UFC 320 Fight Night, Alex “Poatan” Pereira finished light-weight champion Magomed Ankalaev in just 80 seconds. This was pure domination, which makes me believe even more that Pereira should have won their first fight. The first fight lasted a full five rounds, ending in a unanimous decision for Ankalaev. 

Ankalaev had more strikes overall, but with zero knockdowns, it proved he did minor damage. Ankalaev was also zero for 12 on takedowns, showing that Pereira has worked on his grappling and wrestling. The combination of his power and more developed wrestling could allow him to dominate the UFC for years to come. 

Pereira is a quiet fighter — he didn’t whine about losing the first fight. He waited for his opportunity to knock him out in a rematch. The fight was over once Pereira landed his deadly right hand, forcing Ankalaev into a desperate takedown. Pereira began to attack with ground and pound strikes on Ankalaev. Within the first two minutes, the championship belt was going back to Brazil with Pereira.

Pereira would destroy Khamzat Chimaev in a light heavyweight bout. The middleweight champion, Chimaev, has announced he would like to fight Pereira. This could create a fight between two champions in different divisions for an ultimate main event. Pereira is looking to fight again in June, which could continue his new reign as the lightweight champion.