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MLS Power Rankings
Week 13
by Kevin Lindstrom

L = League standing based on points, P = Playoff standing based on points, P/G is the points and games played by the team so far, PPG is the points-per-game average, Pace is the number of points off of The Pace (3 points at home, 1 point on the road).

Kansas City missed out on an opportunity to show thay they can play without Molnar. After pooing the scrooch against the Sockers, the Wizards actually come into the Cotton Bowl with a lot to prove.  This may not bode well for a Burn side that is justnow getting back on its feet after some devastating injuries early in the season.  Kansas City is still the class of the league, especially defensively, but Jason Kreis seems to have scored in practically every game despite being the reigning league MVP, and Graziani hasn't exactly been ineffective so far in 2000.  Now that the Burn have figured out how to regain their midfield form, this could be quite a game. In all likelihood, a low scoring affair, possibly 1-1 or 1-0.

The Mutiny get to show if they are for-real on the road now, or have they just taken advantage of weak teams over the past two weeks.  The get to travel to Los Angeles to take on a Galaxy side that may be figuring out how to use Luis.  This will be a real open game, with the possibilities pretty varied.  Does Los Angeles continue to struggle, and if so can the Mutiny take advantage? Or does LA come out swinging, and is Tampa Bay for real, and we are in for a real treat of a soccer match? Or do both teams stink it up?  Odds are at least one team will show for this game, and if the other team isn't ready for them, it could get ugly.

The Rev are another team coming off a disappointing loss to an amateur team and go into the weekend having to regain some pride.  They will have to do it against a team that persevered on Wednesday, the MetroStars, a team that is hot on their tail in the division. A team still in need of a real No. 1 forward, New England has done it with the midfield and defense, wearing teams down until they break it open.  NY/NJ has shown the ability to play really well with their new players in Mathis and Myers, but they have also shown that they can be beat -- as we saw with the 3-0 thrashing the Mutiny put on them last Saturday.  The Chicago Fire get to test out whether D.C. is really rejuvenated, or whether their recent success was just a minor hiccup.  The Fire have done well without Kubic and sometimes Hristo, but that may not be enough against a real hungry United side that has no real room for error.  Both teams met their goals on Wednesday by playing a number of starters, which may or may not affect Saturday. With Tampa Bay traveling to Los Angeles, this may be an opportunity for the Fire to get a stronger foothold on first place in the Central.

The Rapids bit the dust again in the USOC, but this time they had no real reason to hang their heads.  Colorado has done admirably well to  stay alive in League play and simply didn't have enough live bodies to overcome a strong A-League franchise.  On Saturday, they host the struggling Crew, who may very well need a win to stay out of last place in the Central.  Columbus does get Brian McBride back, but whether that is enough against a Rapids side that has persevered against more injuries in the last calendar year than any MLS team should have remains to be seen.

Miami travels to the San Jose EarthQuakes to take on a team that is possibly one loss away from being dead for the season as far as the League is concerned, although they are very much alive in the USOC.  The Fusion need to get some sort of consistency going, and at least a tie on the road would be a step in the right direction.  San Jose looked lost without Cerritos against the Rev, and will continue to be a non-playoff team unless Lothar can work some real magic.  This is a game between two teams fighting to stay alive in the League race.