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MLS Power Rankings
Week 22
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).

Lots of big games mid-week, and some real good games on the weekend.

Not only is it Dallas-Chicago, it is the difference between a seven point lead and a one point lead for the Fire, as well as being the first meeting after the Fire drubbed the Burn last week in the USOC quarterfinals, 5-1.  No Zarco, no Graziani, no Armas, no Razov.  Unless there is also no Nowak, advantage Chicago, who didn't play over the weekend, so they also have a rest advantage.  This one has all the looks of a tie, but in this series, looks are deceiving.

Also on Wednesday is Tampa Bay-NY/NJ.  Full-tilt battle between division leaders -- and more importantly, the spot of the No. 2 overall seed.  Keep in mind, BOTH of the top two seeds get Home-Field-Advantage (HFA) throughout the playoffs.  The No. 3 seed, although they do win a division and get the first round HFA, in all likelihood will not have the HFA in the second round.  While Chicago may have something to say about all this when it is all said and done, keep in min  this game when the playoffs begin.  FWIW, Metro seems to be one of the few teams that know how to defend Big Momma. 

Columbus can pretty much assure themselves of a playoff spot and deny Miami one on Wednesday.  A win, and the Crew have a six point lead on the Fusion with five and six games remaining -- but the next game for the Fusion is going to be the quick-turnaround on Friday against the Wizards.  Both of those games for Miami are on the road.  Barring some serious miracleage, "Bu-Bye!" 

The Rapids are going to have to get it on to get out of the bottom of the bracket, and they are going to have to do it in LA on Wednesday. THEN they travel to NY/NJ for a Sunday game.  Ouch.  This week will tell a lot about what the Rapids are going to do the rest of the way.

The Galaxy, on the other hand, travel to Stinking Wild Onion Land for a Saturday matchup with their old nemesis, the Chicago Fire.  Just like the Rapids, we'll know a lot about how Chicago will play out the rest of the way after this week.  This is a must-see on ABC. 

Another big match with playoff implications is the Mutiny @ Rev match on Saturday.  Lose, and New England can be looking at a pretty small un-magic number.  Tampa Bay, on the other hand, is needing to keep pace with Metro and the Wizards to have a leg up in the race for the HFA. 

Before Kansas City has a chance to kill off Miami's season, they have a chance to actually mathematically eliminate San Jose.  With a win in Cali., the Wizards could put the Qlash so far back that they would not be able to catch eight of the MLS teams for a playoff spot.  D.C.'s un-magic number is four.  San Jose's is six.  With a loss to KC and a Crew win, that could be all she wrote. 

And in fact, D.C. and San Jose could very well end each other's season with a tie on Saturday.  

Woo-hoo!