1. D.C. United — 51 pts. | 1-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union; Week 30: vs. Sporting Kansas City
The Black-and-Red held serve at home against Philadelphia and now have a stranglehold on the Eastern Conference's top spot. They can further cement it with a win at home against Sporting KC.
2. New England Revolution — 45 pts. | 3-2 win at Sporting Kansas City; Week 30: vs. Columbus Crew
Thanks to Jermaine Jones' late winner from distance, New England was the latest team to notch three points against Sporting KC, holding the second spot by virtue of the wins tiebreaker.
3. Sporting Kansas City — 45 pts. | 2-3 loss vs. New England Revolution; Week 30: at D.C. United
The defending champions are now 2-6-0 over their last eight and very realistically could miss out on the MLS Cup Playoffs should their slide continue. That seemed practically infeasible two months ago.
4. Columbus Crew — 43 pts. | 2-0 win vs. Montreal Impact; Week 30: at New England Revolution
Crunch time: three straight on the road against the clubs placed second, seventh and fifth on this list.
5. New York Red Bulls — 41 pts. | 4-0 loss at LA Galaxy; Week 30: vs. Houston Dynamo
New York fell victim to the goal-scoring machine that is the LA Galaxy last week, but the Red Bulls now get three straight League matches at home.
6. Toronto FC — 40 pts. | 3-2 win vs. Portland Timbers FC; Week 30: at LA Galaxy
Toronto FC must now go out to StubHub Center and face the Galaxy, a matchup no club wants right now. Can the Reds harness momentum from their dramatic three-goal, second half comeback?
7. Philadelphia Union — 38 pts. | 1-0 loss at D.C. United; Week 30: vs. Chicago Fire
The Union's road loss saw them drop to seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, but like New York, Philadelphia now gets three straight League matches at home.
8. Houston Dynamo — 36 pts. | 2-0 win vs. Chicago Fire; Week 30: at New York Red Bulls
Houston's next two matches are against New York and Toronto FC, but both are on the road. The Dynamo can still make the MLS Cup Playoffs, and if it does so, it certainly would have earned it.
9. Chicago Fire — 31 pts. | 2-0 loss at Houston Dynamo; Week 30: at Philadelphia Union, vs. Montreal Impact
The outlook is bleak for Chicago after a loss to Houston, but if the Fire goes 5-0-0 to close the season, it would maintain an outside shot at making the MLS Cup Playoffs. A double-match week is a good place to start.
10. Montreal Impact — 24 pts. | 2-0 loss at Columbus Crew; Week 30: at Chicago Fire
Mathematically eliminated, Montreal is resigned to contention in the CONCACAF Champions League, from which it has advanced out of the Group Stage.
