Power Rankings

MLS Power Rankings, Week 14: Who's the new No. 1?

Power Rankings 2017 - DL image

Only MLS league games will be reflected in the rankings. Rankings are voted on by MLSsoccer.com editorial staff and remarks were written by the editorial staff.

BIGGEST MOVERS: DAL, POR +3 spots | NY -5 spots


1


LAST WEEK: 4


HIGH: 1 | LOW: 4


Blowout wins vs. RSL must be taken with a grain of salt these days, but Roland Lamah and Jesus Ferreira won’t care. Ferreira’s first pro goal in his first pro game has the Homegrown-obsessed among us giddy, but it’s Lamah’s hat-trick that could truly change Dallas’ season. A little confidence could go a long way for the man who was supposed to replace Fabian Castillo after a slow start.


Previous: Won vs. RSL, 6-2 | Next: at POR on 6/10


2


LAST WEEK: 1


HIGH: 1 | LOW: 8


The unbeaten run had to end at some point, and that's what happened – emphatically so – at Foxborough. The Reds badly need the next two weeks off, though the schedule remains ridiculously full once they return as they'll play four games in 10 days thanks to the Canadian Championship.


Previous: Lost at NE, 3-0 | Next: vs. DC on 6/17


3


LAST WEEK: 2


HIGH: 2 | LOW: 8


A pair of comeback results for New York City, and the biggest return could be Yangel Herrera’s, following U-20 World Cup domination.


Previous: Drew vs. NE, 2-2; Won vs. PHI, 2-1 | Next: vs. SEA on 6/17


4


LAST WEEK: 3


HIGH: 3 | LOW: 21


A point on the road in MLS is nothing to turn your nose up at ... unless you get it against nine men. Still, it's a blip on the radar when you look at the team's recent run.


Previous: Drew at ORL, 0-0 | Next: vs. ATL on 6/10


5


LAST WEEK: 6


HIGH: 3 | LOW: 9


The league's strongest defense continues to impress and it's clear that if there was one snub from the 40-man provisional Gold Cup roster it was Ike Opara.


Previous: Won vs. MIN, 3-0 | Next: vs. MTL on 6/10


6


LAST WEEK: 7


HIGH: 5 | LOW: 20


LA emerge from one of the toughest stretches of the season (four straight road matches) just one point out of the playoff field. If they can just find their home form with four of the next six league matches at StubHub Center, they might be primed for a serious summer playoff push.


Previous: Drew at DC, 0-0 | Next: vs. HOU on 6/17


7


LAST WEEK: 5


HIGH: 4 | LOW: 17


It happens to the best of us – an unexpected loss on the ol’ legendarily unpredictable MLS Saturday night. Chin up, Atlanta – you’re faring fine in the East.


Previous: Lost at VAN, 3-1 | Next: at CHI on 6/10


8


LAST WEEK: 10


HIGH: 2 | LOW: 18


The penalty-killing unit got the job done with a point on Sunday. Worries abound, though, as they've managed to take just one win from their last eight outings.


Previous: Won vs. DC, 2-0; Drew vs. CHI, 0-0 | Next: vs. MTL on 6/17


9


LAST WEEK: 9


HIGH: 6 | LOW: 19


Will the Dynamo ever win a road game? Tune in next time to find out.


Previous: Won vs. RSL, 5-1; Lost at SEA, 1-0 | Next: at LA on 6/17


10


LAST WEEK: 12


HIGH: 10 | LOW: 21


Hey! Remember that time we thought the ‘Caps could be plateauing? Me neither. Excelsior!


Previous: Won vs. ATL, 3-1 | Next: vs. DAL on 6/17


11


LAST WEEK: 14


HIGH: 2 | LOW: 14


Diego Valeri wasn’t about to let the Timbers’ winless streak hit six games, so we went out and bagged a brace and three big points. Portland are a playoff team, no doubt. Are they an MLS Cup contender? They will be if they bag a starting-caliber central defender this summer and get Sebastian Blanco on the scoresheet with some regularity.


Previous: Won vs. SJ, 2-0 | Next: vs. DAL on 6/10


12


LAST WEEK: 11


HIGH: 1 | LOW: 15


Won three of their last four (all 1-0), but none were particularly convincing. We're still waiting for some fireworks up in the Pacific Northwest.


Previous: Lost at CLB, 3-0; Won vs. HOU, 1-0 | Next: at NYC on 6/17


13


LAST WEEK: 8


HIGH: 3 | LOW: 13


Only two teams have scored fewer goals than the Red Bulls this year. The team desperately needs Sacha Kljestan and big-money forward Bradley Wright-Phillips to get back to their MVP-finalist form or else the team might need to hit the market for help this summer.


Previous: Lost at MTL, 1-0 | Next: at PHI on 6/18


14


LAST WEEK: 13


HIGH: 10 | LOW: 21


For the first time in a while the Quakes find themselves below the playoff line – which is the kind of thing that happens when you concede six goals over two games. They'll come back from the break with three straight home games, but a word of warning: They've won just once in their last five at Avaya.


Previous: Lost at POR, 2-0 | Next: vs. SKC on 6/10


15


LAST WEEK: 15


HIGH: 6 | LOW: 19


Might want to put a body on Alan Gordon at the back post. Just saying. Crew SC’s eight losses are tied for second-most in MLS with Minnesota and Colorado, and yet they’re still above the playoff line. The culprit – same as it was last year – is a tendency to give away cheap goals.


Previous: Won vs. SEA, 3-0; Lost at COL, 2-1 | Next: at ATL on 6/17


16


LAST WEEK: 18


HIGH: 11 | LOW: 20


In his last 544 minutes on the field without Kei Kamara, Juan Agudelo has 7 goals and 2 assists. This doesn't mean that Kamara is bad, it's just more evidence that how players fit together matters. Jay Heaps has to make the obvious call here.


Previous: Drew at NYC, 2-2; Won vs. TOR, 3-0 | Next: vs. CHI on 6/17


17


LAST WEEK: 19


HIGH: 8 | LOW: 19


The regular-season version of the Montreal Impact is known for its knack for grinding out wins like Saturday's vs. RBNY. It’s not always spectacular across 34 matches, but the points from these bend-but-don’t-break matches are keeping them in the playoff hunt.


Previous: Won vs. NY, 1-0 | Next: at SKC on 6/10


18


LAST WEEK: 16


HIGH: 12 | LOW: 22


Andre Blake
:
Good
Great at goalkeeping. Still wasn’t enough, and it’s back down a drop on this regular-season roller coaster.

Previous: Lost at NYC, 2-1 | Next: vs. NY on 6/18


19


LAST WEEK: 17


HIGH: 16 | LOW: 22


Oops – the Loons flashed back to the early season here, giving up three goals and a clean sheet over the weekend and dropping down the list. Well, Sporting Kansas City could take out the best of ’em, so maybe it was just a blip.


Previous: Lost at SKC, 3-0 | Next: at RSL on 6/17


20


LAST WEEK: 21


HIGH: 6 | LOW: 22


If only there was a way to measure the spirit of Pablo Mastroeni's team.


Previous: Won vs. CLB, 2-1 | Next: vs. POR on 6/17


21


LAST WEEK: 22


HIGH: 7 | LOW: 22


Good news: A draw with the up-swinging Galaxy isn’t bad. Bad news: That was the good news.


Previous: Lost at ORL, 2-0; Drew vs. LA, 0-0 | Next: at TOR on 6/17


22


LAST WEEK: 20


HIGH: 11 | LOW: 22


Back-to-back four-goal losses is something you don't usually see in MLS. Mike Petke and his team should all be looking in the mirror over the break.


Previous: Lost at HOU, 5-1; Lost at DAL, 6-2 | Next: vs. MIN on 6/17