BIGGEST MOVERS: NY Red Bulls +4 spots | Columbus -4 spots
1
LAST WEEK: 4
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 15
Responded to last week's drubbing at LA with a comprehensive and professional home win. The best part? The play of Homegrowns Jordan Allen (who made the Team of the Week) and Justen Glad. Both are starters, and both are proving to be legit difference-makers.
Latest result: Won vs. Houston, 2-1
Next MLS match: Saturday at Colorado
2
LAST WEEK: 1
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 6
If not for the Great Wall of New Zealand that's a 3-2 or 4-2 win for TFC rather than a 2-1 loss. Disappointing to drop the points, sure. But TFC are officially through the 8-game season-opening trip in great shape, and now play 17 of their final 26 at home. That's a huge advantage, and given the relative weakness of the Eastern Conference, the Reds have to be favorites for the Supporters' Shield.
Latest result: Lost at Portland, 2-1
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Dallas (TSN4)
3
LAST WEEK: 3
HIGH: 3 | LOW: 9
An intra-conference road point is always beautiful. LA have hit on something with their 4-2-3-1, and Gyasi Zardes has been one of the league's best forwards since being moved off the wing. That Gio Dos Santos guy's been pretty decent, too...
Latest result: Drew at Sporting KC, 1-1
Next MLS match: Sunday vs. New England (ESPN)
4
LAST WEEK: 5
HIGH: 4 | LOW: 19
Those were two points squandered by some lousy finishing and a bit of brilliance on the part of Simon Dawkins. What really matters, though, is that you can see the Union getting the process right and giving their kids both the time and the platform to make a difference. That leads to the occasional bump in the road.
Latest result: Drew vs. San Jose, 1-1
Next MLS match: May 11 vs. LA Galaxy
5
LAST WEEK: 2
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 5
Safe to say they miss Matt Hedges. Dallas have been a disorganized mess at the back, and you can only scramble so well for so long. Going on the road against another powerful attack this weekend... yikes.
Latest result: Lost at NY Red Bulls, 4-0
Next MLS match: Saturday at Toronto
6
LAST WEEK: 7
HIGH: 6 | LOW: 20
Safe to say the Power Rankings Politburo is taking its time to come around on this Rapids team, who were able to grit and grind their way to another excellent road draw. Safe to say if they take full home points against RSL this coming weekend, we'll finally start to quicken our pace and board the Colorado bandwagon.
Latest result: Drew at Montreal, 2-2
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Real Salt Lake
7
LAST WEEK: 6
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 8
The foot's come off the pedal a bit after a very good March. Montreal haven't been quite as vicious on the break as they've needed to be, and they've been spotty defensively in big spots. We think it's just a lull -- the Impact are a top three team in the East. But they've got to start playing like it again.
Latest result: Drew at NYCFC, 1-1; Drew vs. Colorado, 2-2
Next MLS match: Saturday at Columbus (RDS)
8
LAST WEEK: 8
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 11
This is another team that we think is -- or should be -- a top team in their Conference, but there's no denying something's not quite right with the attack. Sporting are getting more of the ball but having big trouble turning that into high percentage chances.
Latest result: Drew at Vancouver, 1-1; Drew vs. LA Galaxy, 1-1
Next MLS match: Saturday at Houston
9
LAST WEEK: 10
HIGH: 1 | LOW: 10
The Timbers have shown a bit of mastery at conceding low-percentage shots and using the rebounds to get out on the break. And now they have Liam Ridgewell back, so the defense should be back to its previously solid self.
Latest result: Drew at New England, 1-1; Won vs. Toronto, 2-1
Next MLS match: Saturday at Vancouver
10
LAST WEEK: 9
HIGH: 6 | LOW: 14
Go on the road, steal a point. That's been Dom Kinnear's strategy for more than a decade, and it'll never go out of style. That the Quakes have managed this good start without Clarence Goodson says quite a bit about their depth -- which had been a sore spot heading into the season.
Latest result: Drew at Philadelphia, 1-1
Next MLS match: Saturday at Seattle
11
LAST WEEK: 15
HIGH: 4 | LOW: 19
Are the Red Bulls back, for real? It's hard to deny the sheer, overwhelming dominance they showed against Dallas -- the best performance by any team we've seen this season. And with Aurelien Collin coming in, and Gideon Baah just about healthy again... yeah. We think they're back.
Latest result: Won vs. Dallas, 4-0
Next MLS match: Friday at Orlando (UniMás)
12
LAST WEEK: 11
HIGH: 6 | LOW: 15
They stay in games and scratch out results, but the central defense is problematic and the offseason drama seems to have robbed the central midfield of some of the chemistry they showed down the stretch last year. Why not stick with Higuita and Ceren?
Latest result: Drew at New England, 2-2
Next MLS match: Friday vs. NY Red Bulls (UniMás)
13
LAST WEEK: 16
HIGH: 7 | LOW: 17
Still not clicking from back to front, but it appears they've found themselves a goal-scorer in young Mr. Morris. The next step is generating some type of creativity from central midfield, and getting Clint Dempsey back into top form.
Latest result: Won vs. Columbus, 1-0
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. San Jose
14
LAST WEEK: 12
HIGH: 5 | LOW: 14
A home draw and a road loss and another bad week for the 'Caps. There is no flow or rhythm to this team, and without that there's no identity. It's all scrambling and back-foot defense in Vancouver.
Latest result: Drew vs. Sporting KC, 1-1; Lost at NYCFC, 3-2
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Portland (TSN1)
15
LAST WEEK: 14
HIGH: 13 | LOW: 20
A draw on the road is never a bad result. Two individual notes: Patrick Nyarko has been arguably the best winger in the league this year, and Travis Worra continues to be excellent in place of Bill Hamid. Over the past few years United have cratered without their No. 1, but not in 2016.
Latest result: Drew at Chicago, 1-1
Next MLS match: Sunday vs. NYCFC (FS1)
16
LAST WEEK: 17
HIGH: 10 | LOW: 17
The Revolution's inability to deal with crosses has killed them all season, and cost them four more home points this week. The pieces are there to make one of their patented runs, but they've got to start getting the little things right.
Latest result: Drew vs. Portland, 1-1; Drew vs. Orlando City, 2-2
Next MLS match: Sunday at LA Galaxy (ESPN)
17
LAST WEEK: 13
HIGH: 3 | LOW: 19
It looked like Columbus had turned a corner, but that loss -- especially the late let-down -- let some of the air out of the balloon. They play three of the next four at home, which could prove to be a make-or-break stretch in terms of playoff hopes.
Latest result: Lost at Seattle, 1-0
Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Montreal
18
LAST WEEK: 20
HIGH: 12 | LOW: 20
Finally got a home win on the weekend, but dropped two more points at Yankee Stadium midweek. NYCFC have had the league's easiest schedule to this point, but they haven't capitalized on it at all.
Latest result: Drew vs. Montreal, 1-1; Won vs. Vancouver, 3-2
Next MLS match: Sunday at D.C. United (FS1)
19
LAST WEEK: 18
HIGH: 18 | LOW: 20
The defense has been mostly good, and this team remains difficult to beat. That late cameo by Collin Fernandez made us want to see a little bit more of him -- seems to have good feet and vision, and can perhaps be part of the answer in central midfield.
Latest result: Drew vs. D.C. United, 1-1
Next MLS match: May 11 at Vancouver
20
LAST WEEK: 19
HIGH: 10 | LOW: 20
It's clear at this point that the offseason overhaul did not pay the type of dividends the Dynamo braintrust hoped for or expected. Owen Coyle's at the drawing board now, trying new lineups and formations, and nothing's working. Houston have now taken just one of the last 18 points on offer.
Latest result: Lost at Real Salt Lake, 2-1
Next MLS match: Saturday at San Jose
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).
