MLS Power Rankings, 1-30 | Matchday 27

St. Louis stay a juggernaut, Philly get a warning shot, the Timbers blow their chance and the Sounders are staring at theirs.

It's time to rank some power. Let's dive in:

1. Nashville SC (-): Put together their best performance in a month. The Shield’s theirs.
2. St. Louis City (+1): Won a semifinal on the road in commanding fashion, then turned around and murdered TFC with a rotated squad at the weekend. Make it 18 unbeaten – their last loss was on May 3.
3. Vancouver Whitecaps (-1): Good bounce-back against RSL but with that loss to Montréal I’m officially concerned about their post-World Cup form.
4. Philadelphia Union (-): That first half was a good reminder that focus is necessary every time out.
5. New England Revolution (-): Three straight wins, and four in five despite missing Jack Harrison for most of it.
6. Inter Miami (+1): Another disappointing home draw, but the way they belted Cruz Azul was really, really impressive. I suspect that’s the Inter Miami we’ll see in the playoffs. 
7. FC Dallas (+2): Only one team from 6th to 21st in last week’s Power Rankings actually won in league play, so it’s more “how good do I think this team is?” from here on out. And I think Dallas – who played pretty well vs. Austin, but got Stuver’ed – belong here, even though I’m frustrated that I still don’t know what their best XI is. Still.
8. Houston Dynamo (-): Tough to beat, but just don’t have the firepower to climb higher than this.
9. BCG Charlotte (+1): They suddenly do have the firepower, and are unbeaten in eight. Though they still don’t use the ball well to kill games off, which always leaves them vulnerable when protecting a lead.
10. Chicago Fire (-4): They look slow and mechanical on and off the ball. Zero spark. Maybe André Franco changes that when he returns.
11. San Jose Earthquakes (+4): Their spark appears to be back, and more importantly so are their best players: Niko Tsakiris drew the red, Preston Judd scored the goal, Timo Werner got the assist. Unbeaten in five now. If they can stay healthy, they will stay good. 
12. LAFC (-): One win in league play since July, but just one loss in their past six. They’re tough to beat, but man what a disappointing team.
13. Orlando City (-2): Brutal week between the Open Cup loss, the Griezmann injury and the late collapse at New England.
14. Colorado Rapids (-): The good: Morgan Whittaker looked awesome, and they scored three goals in a game for the first time in almost six months. The bad: they no-showed the Open Cup semis (at home!) and conceded six over two games. 
15. FC Cincinnati (+1): One win in seven since the end of the Leagues Cup and they just can’t defend at all. But at least they’re still fighting.
16. Portland Timbers (-3): Finished up a run of four games in five at home with one win, two losses and a draw (they also lost the one road trip in that bunch). Missed their chance to solidify their spot above the red line and will now – as usual – spend the stretch run fighting for their lives.
17. San Diego FC (+1): Good late fight to get the point, and good ingenuity in the formation switch from Mikey Varas, which stopped the bleeding.
18. NYCFC (-1): I actually liked the way they played in this one and they should start to climb now that they’re mostly healthy again.
19. Austin FC (-): Make it seven unbeaten. They’re not playing pretty soccer, but they’re taking points off some of the league’s best teams, and have climbed into the playoff picture.
20. Seattle Sounders (-): Make it five unbeaten here, but… all draws. The Sounders have two games this week, both at home against two teams they should beat. It needs to be a six-point week or they’re cooked.
21. RBNY (+1): Six points from their past two games and real signs of life as they climbed back above the red line.
22. Columbus Crew (+1): Just when I think I’m out…
23. LA Galaxy (+1): They’re now 3W-2L-2D over the past seven, which has been enough to push them over the red line – though they’ve played more games than the rest of the West scrum, so they don’t quite control their own destiny.
24. Toronto FC (-3): Followed up that big, 2-1 win over Nashville with a 3-0 drubbing at Orlando and, this past weekend, a 3-1 at St. Louis that never looked like it was going to be a contest.
25. Atlanta United (+1): A nice, unexpected win that leaves them seven points out with eight games to play. If they win on Saturday and get a couple other results to go their way they would – remarkably – have a puncher’s chance.
26. D.C. United (+1): Played really well. Lost anyway. The bill comes due.
27. Minnesota United (-2): The attack is much more fun to watch than it used to be, but this team is incredibly passive defensively and it’s killing them.
28. Montréal Impact (-): Five straight losses in league play, but they ended Vancouver’s run of four straight Canadian Championships. Biggest win for Montréal in a half-decade. 
29. Real Salt Lake (-): Outclassed on a weekly basis. Low on talent, but also low on xDAWG.
30. Sporting KC (-): Easily the best half of their season, followed by what might’ve been the worst. 

No Gass on this week's Soccerwise as he was atoning for being a Knicks fan. Tom, however, is back and beyond redemption.