Previous ranking: 1
The Sounders’ performance against the Galaxy did not please manager Brian Schmetzer, but when you can struggle and still win away from home, you’ve got a good thing going.
Previous ranking: 2
Their draw in Colorado was perhaps their worst showing of the season, but, as with the team above them, when you’re getting results out of rough weeks, you’re doing all right.
Previous ranking: 4
Another team that did not play near their best and drew the ire of their coach after the game, but they still beat Miami. Worry about their attack all you want after another subpar game, but there’s talent there that should come good, and their defense stands up against any in the league.
Previous ranking: 3
Pour one out for the undefeated streak. Losing to Minnesota is nothing to be ashamed of, but Seattle and Cincinnati are on tap, so it’s not about to get any easier.
Previous ranking: 5
Completely stifle opponents defending deep and let Hany Mukhtar cook in transition. Rinse, repeat, three points, this time against Orlando.
Previous ranking: 10
The Crew beat down RSL and have now scored 10 goals in their past two matches. If you think that’s scary, just wait until they add Cucho Hernandez back into the team.
Previous ranking: 7
Thiago Almada‘s free kicks are a work of art and his play in the final third wins Atlanta matches, but then you see him almost single-handedly break RBNY’s press at times in Saturday’s win and you realize there’s basically nothing he can’t do.
Previous ranking: 8
FC Dallas might rightly say that they were simply unlucky to give up a late equalizer to Portland and that they played well enough to take all three points, but they also mostly played well enough to be up multiple goals and weren’t, which is a multiyear problem for them.
Previous ranking: 16
The Loons have no problem playing through traffic, defending deep or exploiting space in front of them. The result: the end of St. Louis’s perfect start and three points to a Minnesota team that, unless you defend them in a low block, doesn’t really seem to be missing Emanuel Reynoso.
Previous ranking: 11
The Revs could have been 2-0 up and on their way to victory over NYCFC if it weren’t for VAR, but they were maybe a little fortunate to take a point based on the overall gameplay, so the draw wasn’t much to complain about.
Previous ranking: 9
The season is more than a month old; the CONCACAF Champions League is in the rearview mirror; and the Lions’ attack is still missing. At some point, instead of looking at the roster and seeing theoretical goals, we’ll have to look at the scoreboard and see actual goals. They didn’t come in a 2-0 loss to Nashville.
Previous ranking: 15
The Quakes had their first real stinker of the season in St. Louis, but they bounced back with a 2-1 win over Houston on Saturday. Tick “ability to respond to a bad week” off the Highly Competent Team checklist.
Previous ranking: 6
They’ve taken just one point from three matches after drawing SKC, and it’s not as if the schedule has been difficult. They played Montreal, Orlando and Kansas City in that run.
Previous ranking: 14
Do you celebrate TFC extending their unbeaten streak to five or rue them blowing a 2-0 lead to Charlotte at home and having to settle for a draw?
