BIGGEST MOVERS: NYCFC +6 spots | NY Red Bulls -6 spots
1
LAST WEEK: 2
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 20
Win at home, draw on the road and let all the critics be damned. Colorado have earned their way to the top.
Latest result: Won vs. Sporting KC, 1-0; Drew at Columbus 1-1
Last five results: W-D-W-W-D
Next MLS match: Saturday at Seattle
2
LAST WEEK: 3
HIGH: 2 | LOW: 9
Went cross-country on short rest to score two gorgeous goals then hold on for dear life. Job well done ahead of their Heineken Rivalry Week match-up against San Jose.
Latest result: Drew at Philadelphia, 2-2
Last five results: W-W-D-W-D
Next MLS match: Sunday vs. San Jose (FS1)
3
LAST WEEK: 4
HIGH: 3 | LOW: 19
They're a young team that still makes occasional young-team mistakes, as happened on the Didier Drogba goal. But they're also a talented team that produces entertaining soccer almost every time out, and seem to be improving.
Latest result: Drew vs. LA Galaxy, 2-2; Drew at Montreal, 1-1
Last five results: L-W-D-D-D
Next MLS match: Friday vs. D.C. United (UniMás)
4
LAST WEEK: 1
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 6
Conceded seven goals on an eight-game odyssey to start the season, then somehow found a way to concede four in 90 minutes against the 'Caps and lost Jozy Altidore to a(nother) hamstring injury. TFC are still in a good position overall, but Saturday's a reminder that nothing ever comes easy with this team.
Latest result: Lost vs. Vancouver, 4-3
Last five results: W-W-L-W-L
Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. NYCFC (TSN4, RDS2); Saturday vs. Columbus
5
LAST WEEK: 6
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 7
Underrated injury absence of the year? Donny Toia. Montreal conceded six goals in six games before he got hurt, and have conceded 10 times in the last five without him. Correlation isn't causality, but the two are closely linked here.
Latest result: Drew vs. Philadelphia, 1-1
Last five results: L-D-D-D-D
Next MLS match: Saturday at Orlando City (TSN2, RDS)
6
LAST WEEK: 7
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 7
Pulled out of a three-game dip with a pair of pretty convincing wins over conference foes. The Power Rankings Politburo still feels, however, that FC Dallas need to find a target man who can fill the void left by Blas Perez's departure.
Latest result: Won vs. Portland, 2-1; Won vs. Seattle, 2-0
Last five results: L-L-L-W-W
Next MLS match: Saturday at New England
7
LAST WEEK: 5
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 15
It's fair for fans to question the play of Tony Beltran and Jamison Olaveon Giles Barnes's goal, and to wonder why the midfield struggles to control games. But we're not writing any of this if Yura Movsisyan buries his chances.
Latest result: Lost at Houston, 1-0
Last five results: W-L-W-L-L
Next MLS match: Saturday at Sporting KC
8
LAST WEEK: 11
HIGH: 8 | LOW: 14
Blas to the rescue on Wednesday, followed by an electric performance from Kekuta Manneh on Saturday. And from everyone here at the Politburo, our sincere best wishes for a speedy recovery to Masato Kudo.
Latest result: Won vs. Chicago, 2-1; Won at Toronto, 4-3
Last five results: D-L-W-W-W
Next MLS match: Sunday at Portland (TSN, ESPN)
9
LAST WEEK: 15
HIGH: 9 | LOW: 20
Three straight wins, including two on the road, will give you a big bump in the rankings and – more importantly – the standings. NYCFC are up to No. 2 in the East and the local guys (Tommy McNamara, R.J. Allen and Jason Hernandez) have been just as crucial as the high-profile imports.
Latest result: Won at Portland, 2-1
Last five results: L-D-W-W-W
Next MLS match: Wednesday at Toronto (TSN4, RDS2); Saturday vs. NY Red Bulls (FOX, TSN2)
10
LAST WEEK: 12
HIGH: 6 | LOW: 13
They've kept their heads above water without Clarence Goodson or Quincy Amarikwa, both of whom were expected to be crucial parts of the puzzle each and every time out. A point this weekend at LA would cap off a very successful first 2.5 months of the 2016 season, with legitimate hope for even better on the way.
Latest result: Won vs. Houston, 3-1
Last five results: L-W-D-L-W
Next MLS match: Sunday at LA Galaxy (FS1)
11
LAST WEEK: 14
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 14
Did they find a temporary bandage in the last 20 minutes of that win, or is Jacob Peterson a permanent answer to their spacing problems in attack?
Latest result: Lost at Colorado, 1-0; Won vs. Orlando City, 2-1
Last five results: D-D-L-L-W
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Real Salt Lake
12
LAST WEEK: 8
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 12
Their first three-game losing streak since 2012 has folks up in Rose City looking for answers. The big question is "How do we stop conceding so many damn goals?" They've shipped 22 in 12 games after allowing just 39 for all of last year.
Latest result: Lost at Dallas, 2-1; Lost vs. NYCFC, 2-1
Last five results: D-W-L-L-L
Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Vancouver (ESPN, TSN)
13
LAST WEEK: 10
HIGH: 10 | LOW: 17
Gave themselves plenty of chances early against Dallas and made the home team sweat, but a little bit of bad luck and a lot of bad finishing wrote the story. This weekend against the Rapids is a chance for a statement win.
Latest result: Lost at Dallas, 2-0
Last five results: W-L-W-W-L
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Colorado
14
LAST WEEK: 16
HIGH: 10 | LOW: 17
Kei Kamara didn't score in his Revs debut, but he sure helped. He was linking up with everybody in attack and creating off-the-ball space for the likes of Lee Nguyen, Juan Agudelo and Femi Hollinger-Janzen. These pieces seem to fit.
Latest result: Won vs. Chicago, 2-0
Last five results: L-D-D-L-W
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Dallas
15
LAST WEEK: 9
HIGH: 9 | LOW: 17
A good string of results went up in smoke thanks to 90 dire minutes at D.C. The Red Bulls are still trying to rediscover their identity.
Latest result: Lost at D.C. United, 2-0
Last five results: L-W-W-D-L
Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Chicago; Saturday at NYCFC (FOX, TSN2)
16
LAST WEEK: 17
HIGH: 14 | LOW: 20
Started out winless in five, but are now 3-2-1 in their last six with each win coming via shutout. United have discovered their identity in the processs.
Latest result: Won vs. NY Red Bulls, 2-0
Last five results: L-W-D-L-W
Next MLS match: Friday at Philadelphia (UniMás)
17
LAST WEEK: 13
HIGH: 6 | LOW: 17
It's really starting to feel like the bottom has dropped out, and OCSC have managed just three of the last 18 points on offer. Their woeful 1-0-4 home record means that there's no easy respite coming.
Latest result: Lost at Sporting KC, 2-1
Last five results: D-L-D-D-L
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Montreal (TSN2, RDS)
18
LAST WEEK: 18
HIGH: 10 | LOW: 20
They've posted a pair of shutout wins in their last two home games, which is a good recipe for getting on the right side of the red line. They'll have to keep it up, though – a six-point deficit is no joke, even at this point in the season.
Latest result: Lost at San Jose, 3-1; Won vs. Real Salt Lake, 1-0
Last five results: L-L-W-L-W
Next MLS match: Saturday at Chicago
19
LAST WEEK: 19
HIGH: 5 | LOW: 19
Well, they've stopped losing, and if you look at their last five (2-1-2) it's not all that bad. But they keep dropping home points and if you do that, you don't make the playoffs.
Latest result: Drew vs. Colorado, 1-1
Last five results: W-W-L-D-D
Next MLS match: Saturday at Toronto
20
LAST WEEK: 20
HIGH: 18 | LOW: 20
David Accam is back just in time to face a RBNY team that's extremely vulnerable on the counter. This could be the break the Fire need.
Latest result: Lost at Vancouver, 2-1; Lost at New England, 2-0
Last five results: D-L-D-L-L
Next MLS match: Wednesday at NY Red Bulls; Saturday vs. Houston
Only MLS league games will be reflected in the rankings. Rankings are voted on by MLSsoccer.com editorial staff and remarks were written by Senior Editor Matt Doyle (@MLSAnalyst).
