MLS Thermometer: KC hot, Fire not so much (UPDATED)

The league standings are a good indicator of who has done the best over the course of a whole season. But every team goes through highs and lows, peaks and valleys, streaks and slumps. Playing a bad team on a good run is usually more dangerous than playing a good team in a mediocre stretch.

So who is sitting pretty right now and who should be worried?

Welcome to the first installment of the MLS Thermometer, in which MLSsoccer.com takes the temperature of clubs around the league, looking at who's heating up at the right time, and who's giving their fans the cold shoulder.

Didn’t See That Coming

A few weeks ago, there wasn’t much talk about the Kansas City Wizards as a playoff team. Now might be a good time to hop on the bandwagon.

[inlinenode:317564]The Wizards are still in 9th place in the playoff standings, three points behind Seattle and San Jose. But the Wizards are currently the hottest team in MLS with 13 points from their last five games, and they still have a game in hand over the Sounders. On this form, that extra game would be more than enough to vault Kansas City over Seattle for the 8th and final playoff bid.

[inlinenode:317725]LA and Columbus, we’re looking at you. In their last five games, the East and West conference leaders have each acquired just seven points (that's less than half of what was available, for those keeping score at home). With the Crew being outscored 7-1 over their last two league games and the Galaxy hosting the streaking Red Bulls on Friday, there is serious doubt over whether these two teams can hold on for their conference titles and or win the Supporters' Shield.

Caution: Hot

Here come Real Salt Lake. The reigning MLS champs officially have the longest home unbeaten streak in league history, shutting out the Chicago Fire 1-0 at Rio Tinto last Saturday and making it 23 games since the last time the team lost in Sandy. Taking just their last five games into consideration, RSL are picking up 2.2 points per game. If they keep that pace up, they are actually the frontrunners to win the Supporters' Shield with 58 points.

[inline_node:318677]Streak Busters

The Colorado Rapids are next to try to crack RSL’s streak, though, and Colorado have put together a little streak of their own with nine points in their last five. Not impressed? Consider this: that's a better performance over five games than playoff-bound FC Dallas, who are unbeaten in their last 16. Could the Rocky Mountain Cup see an end to fortress Rio Tinto? No matter where you are, you’ll hear the cheers in LA if the Rapids manage to pull it off.

What’s Cooler than Cool?

The Chicago Fire have been dreadful of late. The Fire have gotten just two points from their last five games. That puts them behind Houston, New England, and cellar-dwellers D.C. United for the worst form in the league.