Another nearly-full slate of games sees the playoff mix get even more mixed up. Only the Crew appears clear from the playoff drama (there’s some dispute about that, but regardless, the chances of the Crew not making the playoffs are negligable). Even teams that appeared out just a couple of weeks ago (LA, KC, and Dallas, I’m looking at you) have new life, and really only Toronto looks to be dead in the water.
1. Columbus (LW = 1) (PS = 7.61)
Laid a holy beat-down on the Red Bulls without Barros Schelotto. Eddie Gaven played like he cares, and Robbie Rogers broke his scoring drought. My only fear is that they coast into the playoffs and lose the momentum they’ve been building up over the last few weeks.
2. Houston (2T) (6.19)
Houston takes the week off to take care of their town. Kudos.
3. New England (2T) (5.80)
New England gets a point at Colorado, which is precisely the kind of result they need to solidify their home field “advantage” in the first round.
4. Chivas USA (8) (5.70)
Chivas lands in the revolving number 2 spot in the Western Conference with a win at Rice-Eccles.
5. San Jose (6) (5.46)
Can they keep the mo’ going?
6. Kansas City (9T) (5.11)
Well, what do you know? Kansas City has put some distance between themselves and bottom-dwelling Toronto. Can they make the playoffs?
7. Chicago (5) (4.96)
Where’s the offense? Where’s the defense? Where’s the Fire?
8. Colorado (7) (4.83)
Another team left-for-dead only a couple of weeks ago finds itself in possession of a playoff berth if the season were to end today. But it doesn’t, and a win by San Jose (who have a game in hand) would displace them.
9. New York (4) (4.67)
Worse than the scoreline was the difference in effort and execution between the Red Bulls and the Crew.
10. Dallas (12T) (4.51)
Dallas still has some work to do, but a win at Chicago is a good start.
11. Los Angeles (12T) (4.27)
One 5-2 victory and a hat trick from Landon Donovan does not a season make. Wears the consistency LD?
12. DC United (9T) (3.75)
They got screwed by a terrible red card against LA and frankly didn’t play that badly. Instead, they ran into an LA team that was playing well together for the first time in, oh, three months.
13. Real Salt Lake (11) (3.44)
Their poor recent performances are finally catching up to them in the standings, as they drop from a playoff spot for the first time in a while.
14. Toronto (14) (2.80)
Sometimes, the solution isn’t bringing in new players.
Tags: MLS, Power Ranking, PowerScore
