What a week in MLS. The Galaxy won at home, Seattle rode a late-season hot streak to a home playoff spot and Inter Miami scored a handful of improbable goals to win multiple games, and the Supporters' Shield. It was truly a week unlike any other.
The Power Rankings are voted on by around 20 MLS writers, editors and personalities and are not solely the fault of the column’s author. The 2024 Power Rankings Committee regrets the errors and tried to rank your team higher. They promise.
Congrats to the Supporters’ Shield winners. And maybe an early congrats to the future points-record holders. After wins over Columbus and Toronto last week, they just need to take down New England on Decision Day to reach 74 points.
They would also need to underperform their xG by roughly eight goals in their final game to miss out on being the most overperforming MLS team in American Soccer Analysis’ database (back to 2013). There’s no denying they’ve caught some breaks this year. The counterpoint to that though is…
Previous: 1-0 win at TOR | Next: 10/19 vs. NE
The Crew lost out on their shot at an improbable Shield run with their midweek loss to Miami. They bounced back nicely in a 3-2 win over Philadelphia.
Cucho Hernández is up to 19 goals and 13 assists on the year now after a three-goal performance last week. His case for Landon Donovan MLS MVP is going to be strong.
Previous: 3-2 win vs. PHI | Next: 10/12 vs. NE
After picking up wins over Colorado and Austin last week, the Galaxy are a game away from clinching the top spot in the West. That’s a bigger deal for this Galaxy side than most teams. LA haven’t lost once at Dignity Health Sports Park all season. No one has more home wins in 2024.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. ATX | Next: 10/19 at HOU
LAFC avoided a letdown after two big wins a couple of weeks ago. They spent last week taking care of business against St. Louis and Sporting KC. That’s enough to keep their hopes for the top spot in the West alive. They need to win each of their last two games and hope the Galaxy lose on Decision Day.
Previous: 3-0 win at SKC | Next: 10/13 at VAN
After wins over Vancouver and Colorado this week, the Sounders, in a “down year,” have stumbled into 56 points and a home playoff spot. That’s thanks in large part to a league-best defense. They’ve allowed just 34 goals on the season. Even when they’re uninspiring, the Sounders are still going to fall back into old habits and get dangerous down the stretch.
Previous: 1-0 win at COL | Next: 10/19 vs. POR
The Lions finally got their signature win. After beating up on teams below the playoff line for most of the second half, Orlando went to Cincinnati and picked up a 3-1 win on Saturday. No one in MLS has been hotter and they’ve proven they can go on the road and take down one of the league’s best teams. A draw on Decision Day would likely seal the fourth spot in the East.
Previous: 3-1 win at CIN | Next: 10/19 vs. ATL
Yeah, it might be time to downgrade FC Cincinnati. They just aren’t in the same tier right now as the top teams in the league. They’ve faced three playoff teams in their last three games and lost all three. They still have third in the East locked up, but they aren’t going to head into the playoffs with any sense of momentum.
Previous: 3-1 loss vs. ORL | Next: 10/19 at PHI
RSL are officially a home playoff team. They’re undefeated in their last five and can still potentially finish as high as second in the West. They still aren’t playing their best ball of the season, but things could be a whole lot worse.
Previous: 1-0 win at SJ | Next: 10/19 vs. VAN
They spent a couple of months in the wilderness, but New York City FC are finally getting results again. They took down Cincinnati midweek and followed it up with a 3-1 win over Nashville. They’ve scored 11 times in the last three games and have put themselves in position to potentially grab a home playoff spot on Decision Day. They’re about to play their way into being a dark horse pick for MLS Cup.
Previous: 3-1 win vs. NSH | Next: 10/19 at MTL
The Loons stayed hot. They picked up four points last week and, improbably, have worked themselves up and out of a Wild Card spot. At least for now. They’ll enter Decision Day with a shot at finishing as high as fifth in the West. Wherever they finish, they’ll enter the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in MLS.
Previous: 1-0 win at VAN | Next: 10/19 vs. STL
The Dynamo took care of business midweek against New England, then laid a total egg against St. Louis over the weekend. That atrocious 3-0 loss put them out of the running for a home playoff spot and has them right on the edge of a Wild Card spot.
Previous: 3-0 loss at STL | Next: 10/19 vs. LA
Charlotte have suddenly put together a nice run here. After wins over Chicago and Montréal this week, they’ve earned 10 points over their last four games. That includes a 1-1 draw against Miami last week.
That run hasn’t been enough to put them in position for a home playoff spot, but they can still avoid having to deal with Inter Miami or Columbus in Round One if they stay ahead of New York on Decision Day.
Previous: 2-0 win vs. MTL | Next: 10/19 at DC
The Rapids are stumbling over the finish line. They’ve lost three in a row — all against playoff sides — including this week’s 3-1 defeat to the Galaxy and 1-0 loss to the Sounders. They’ve already missed out on a shot at a home playoff spot. They may be about to miss out on Round One entirely. There’s a real chance they could end up in a Wild Card spot by the end of Decision Day.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. SEA | Next: 10/19 at ATX
Bad week.
The Timbers’ 1-0 loss to Austin and their 0-0 draw with Dallas sealed their fate as a Wild Card team. They’re a better team than that, but avoidable missteps have kept them from climbing the standings. They need some breaks and a win on Decision Day to host a home Wild Card game.
Previous: 0-0 draw vs. DAL | Next: 10/19 at SEA
D.C. got the job done this week. Wins over Nashville and New England have put them in the driver’s seat for a Wild Card spot. They need a point on Decision Day to make sure they keep that spot, but might even be ok with a loss.
Still, might as well make sure, right? They’ll look to Christian Benteke to continue his current form and carry them over the line. He’s scored six times in his last six games and has all but wrapped up the Golden Boot presented by Audi.
Previous: 2-1 win at NE | Next: 10/19 vs. CLT
Well. If the Red Bulls don’t have Emil Forsberg in the starting lineup, they aren’t going to win. They got their first win in months midweek against Toronto. Forsberg made his first start since June 1 and scored the opener. They followed that up with just their second regular season loss ever to Atlanta United. Forsberg didn’t come on until the second half.
They’ll need Forsberg in the starting lineup on Decision Day if they’re going to avoid finishing in seventh place. They’ve already missed out on a home playoff spot.
Previous: 2-1 loss at ATL | Next: 10/19 vs. CLB
Vancouver have two games left to avoid a Wild Card spot. They have their game in hand against LAFC later this week and a matchup with RSL on Decision Day. They could finish anywhere from fifth to ninth.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. MIN | Next: 10/13 vs. LAFC
Despite a -18 goal differential, Montréal are on the verge of making the playoffs. Ever since a 4-1 loss to FC Cincinnati, CFM have picked up 13 points from six games. They could have clinched a playoff spot with a win over Charlotte this weekend, but came up short. They can get the job done with just a draw on Decision Day.
Previous: 2-0 loss at CLT | Next: 10/19 vs. NYC
The Five Stripes are still alive after a win over New York — their second ever in the regular season. But their midweek loss to CF Montréal (ft. a Josef Martínez brace) will probably be the death blow for their season. They need to go down to Orlando and pick up a win on Decision Day while also getting some help from multiple teams if they want to make a Wild Card spot.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. RBNY | Next: 10/19 at ORL
For a while there, the Union looked like a surefire bet to grab one of the Wild Card spots in the East. A brutal stretch run has taken its toll, though. Since Leagues Cup, the Union have faced Columbus, New York, Miami, NYCFC, D.C., Atlanta, Orlando and Columbus again. They’ll end the year against FC Cincinnati. They aren’t even playing poorly. But this may just not be their year.
Previous: 3-2 loss at CLB | Next: 10/19 vs. CIN
Full credit, St. Louis are going down swinging. They’ve won three of their last four. That includes Saturday’s impressive 3-0 win over Houston.
Previous: 3-0 win vs. HOU | Next: 10/19 at MIN
Dallas have followed up a shock 3-1 win over LAFC with losses to Orlando City and San Jose, and a 0-0 draw with Portland. All that’s left to play for now is trying to finish above Austin.
Previous: 0-0 draw at POR | Next: 10/19 vs. SKC
That’s it for Nashville this year. They made progress under B.J. Callaghan, though. The next step is to find a way to rework a roster with clear deficiencies.
Previous: 3-1 loss at NYC | Next: 10/19 at CHI
Austin are officially eliminated from playoff contention and Josh Wolff is officially out of a job. Sporting director Rodolfo Borrell has a ton of work to do to get this roster in the right place or it won’t matter who they bring in to replace Wolff.
Previous: 2-1 loss at LA | Next: 10/19 vs. COL
SKC have lost three in a row and allowed three goals in two straight games. One more game before it’s all over.
Previous: 3-0 loss vs. LAFC | Next: 10/19 at DAL
And that’s a season wrap for TFC. They’re officially out of games and out of chances to make the playoffs. Over the last 17 games of their season, they earned just 1.01 points per game. Only San Jose have been worse over that span. Now they’ll enter into an offseason needing a roster overhaul they probably can’t make without clearing a ton of rough contracts.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. MIA | Next: Season complete
A last-place finish in the East is probably on the way.
Previous: 4-3 loss at CLT | Next: 10/19 vs. NSH
That’s officially a wrap on the Revs. It went really, really poorly this year. The numbers suggest it could have actually gone worse, though? So. That’s kind of a bright spot.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. DC | Next: 10/12 at CLB
Still going to win the Wooden Spoon.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. RSL | Next: 10/19 at LAFC
