Playoff projections – Sept. 5
Latest playoff projections based on games remaining and point per game average as of Week 25:
| 1 | Los Angeles Galaxy (W1) | 65.44 |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders (W2) | 60.46 |
| 3 | FC Dallas (W3) | 57.90 |
| 4 | Real Salt Lake (WC1) | 57.12 |
| 5 | Columbus Crew (E1) | 52.32 |
| 6 | Colorado Rapids (WC2) | 49.76 |
| 7 | Sporting Kansas City (E2) | 46.59 |
| 8 | Philadelphia Union (E3) | 46.24 |
| 9 | Houston Dynamo (WC3) | 44.10 |
| 10 | DC United (WC4) | 43.90 |
| 11 | New York Red Bulls | 41.84 |
| 11 | Portland Timbers | 41.84 |
| 13 | Chivas USA | 39.05 |
| 14 | Chicago Fire | 35.32 |
| 15 | San Jose Earthquakes | 34.00 |
| 16 | New England Revolution | 30.04 |
| 17 | Toronto FC | 29.16 |
| 18 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 27.48 |
Play-in matchups would be:
Wild Card 1 (Real Salt Lake) vs. Wild Card 4 (DC United)
Wild Card 2 (Colorado Rapids) vs. Wild Card 3 (Houston Dynamo)
The lowest remaining seed from the play-in would get the LA Galaxy; the other would get Columbus, while Seattle would face FC Dallas in the West and Sporting KC would play Philadelphia in the East in a two-leg semi.
This is just a projection based on past performance and games remaining; teams could get on a good run of form and change their destiny.
Playoff projection based on PPG (Update)
Latest projection for the MLS Cup playoff qualifiers based on points per game average and league games remaining (as of Wednesday’s Timbers-Chivas USA game):
| 1 | Los Angeles Galaxy (W1) | 66.68 |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders (W2) | 58.84 |
| 3 | FC Dallas (W3) | 56.20 |
| 4 | Columbus Crew (E1) | 54.40 |
| 5 | Real Salt Lake | 53.16 |
| 6 | Colorado Rapids | 51.64 |
| 7 | Sporting Kansas City (E2) | 48.96 |
| 8 | Philadelphia Union (E3) | 48.20 |
| 9 | Houston Dynamo | 45.80 |
| 10 | New York Red Bulls | 41.84 |
| 10 | Portland Timbers | 41.84 |
| 12 | DC United | 41.32 |
| 13 | Chivas USA | 40.52 |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 34.00 |
| 15 | Chicago Fire | 32.64 |
| 16 | New England Revolution | 30.04 |
| 17 | Toronto FC | 28.95 |
| 18 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 24.48 |
New York and Portland are only separated by goal differential. The teams in red are either virtually eliminated based on form, or would need a tremendous run down the stretch and teams ahead of them stumbling badly in order to get in. For example, if San Jose averaged two points per game from here on out, they’d only be 1.2 points ahead of 10th place New York and Portland’s projected end-of-season point total right now, and I don’t see either of them earning less than that with eight games remaining for both. The Earthquakes haven’t averaged two points per game for a nine game stretch this season.
That makes it a four-team battle for the last playoff spots. DC United and Chivas USA are the last two teams on the outside looking in.
DC United’s remaining opponents:
Portland Timbers (H)
Chivas USA (A)
Seattle Sounders (A)
Chivas USA (H)
Real Salt Lake (H)
Philadelphia Union (A)
Columbus Crew (A)
Vancouver Whitecaps (A)
Chicago Fire (H)
Kansas City (H)
Chivas USA’s remaining opponents:
Real Salt Lake (H)
D.C. United (H)
Chicago Fire (A)
D.C. United (A)
Toronto FC (H)
Philadelphia Union (H)
LA Galaxy (A)
Seattle Sounders (H)
There’s quite a few six-pointers in those games remaining, with Chivas a percentage point or two tougher schedule than United. Bottom line, watch any game these two, plus New York and Portland play from here on out. They’re bound to be intense, especially the two games DC and Chivas play against each other.
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