The Seattle Sounders are favorites to finish sixth.
Let that sink in for a second.
6-12-2 Seattle. Now 12-13-5 Seattle.
After Wednesday, they're officially above the red line. We know you know how big this is. But maybe you haven't realized how much of a twisted knife this is leaving in Portland's Timbers.
The MLS Cup championship side have endured a season-long death by a thousand cuts, with some of the slices reaching the bone (SEE: Borchers, Nat). They haven't won on the road (0-9-6), they haven't plugged a leaky defense (48 goals allowed) and yet they remain in playoff contention. But the road is uphill – Seattle have an easier strength of schedule (1.13 PPG to 1.59 for Portland) and a game in hand.
With Vancouver sliding right on out of competition, joining San Jose and Houston at least six points behind the Timbers, this is a two-team race. Two fevered fanbases. Three weeks to play.
Under interim head coach Brian Schmetzer, the Sounders, even with Clint Dempsey sidelined – stay healthy, Deuce – look to have eliminated obvious weaknesses on a squad that might well feature the league's top playmaker (through 10 games and 900 minutes, Nicolas Lodeiro has logged a staggering .80 assists/90) and its top rookie.
The Timbers boast talent up (Adi) and down (Valeri) the roster, but it hasn't quite come together in 2016. At the outset of the campaign, Caleb Porter brushed aside thought of an MLS Cup hangover, pointing out that after "tasting what's possible at the end of this long MLS road, there’s no greater motivation to do it again."
Not getting there to defend the 'ship?
That might be one.
Not getting there because of the Sounders? That'll burrow well under the skin for an offseason. For the fans, who'll default to defenses about trophy cases and conditionals, about how much everyone else will be missing.
All ways to wrap the hurt. This one will sting.
So 34 weeks have come down to three.
The Timbers' time runs short.
