We’re now at the halfway point in the season. Presumably, we’ve had enough to time to figure out which teams are good and which teams aren’t. So, maybe it makes sense that we’re starting to see some real separation in the opinions of the various teams.
MLS Power Rankings, Week 17: The Cream Rises (Or Some Such Thing)
The Galaxy, FC Dallas, Sounders and Real Salt Lake all appear to be solidifying their spots in the top tier.
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Judging from our midway poll, SB Nation's soccer editors clearly think there are four teams very much in the running for some hardware. The Los Angeles Galaxy, FC Dallas, Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake are all clocking in with at least 15 of 20 first-tier votes.
Even in Tier 2, there's a clear line being draw between the teams we expect to make the playoffs and those we think are going to be struggling. Although Sporting Kansas City is just one point shy of the second tier, no other team is nearly that close with DC United still needing 25 percent of our voters to upgrade them.
| Playing For The Shield | ||
|---|---|---|
 | Los Angeles Galaxy |  100% (60 out of 60 points) |
 | FC Dallas | 95% (57 out of 60 points) |
 | Seattle Sounders | 93% (56 out of 60 points) |
 | Real Salt Lake | 91% (55 out of 60 points) |
If our voters weren't impressed by the Sounders' tie at Home Depot Center against the Galaxy, it looks like their double-comeback win over the Portland Timbers did the trick. The 3-2 victory catapulted them over RSL, who themselves scored a pretty impressive victory over FC Dallas. That all four of these teams are from the Western Conference should tell you all you need to know about the perceived strength of MLS.
| Enjoy The Playoffs | ||
|---|---|---|
 | Philadelphia Union | 73% (44 out of 60 points) |
 | New York Red Bulls | 73% (44 out of 60 points) |
 | Colorado Rapids | 63% (38 out of 60 points) |
 | Columbus Crew | 58% (35 out of 60 points) |
That the two best teams in the Eastern Conference are not even considered to be in the top tier by half of our voters should tell you just how highly perceived that conference is. It’s not that they are bad teams, it’s just that it’s hard to see them putting together a run of excellence that will overcome their exceedingly long run of mediocrity.
| Still Something To Prove | ||
|---|---|---|
 | Sporting Kansas City | 48% (29 out of 60 points) |
 | DC United | 41% (25 out of 60 points) |
 | San Jose Earthquakes | 40% (24 out of 60 points) |
 | Houston Dynamo | 36% (22 out of 60 points) |
 | Chivas USA | 26% (16 out of 60 points) |
 | Portland Timbers | 18% (11 out of 60 points) |
That nearly half of our voters fully expect Sporting KC to make the playoffs now is quite remarkable. Just a few weeks ago, this was a team mired in our lowest tier, someplace the Timbers seem to be heading in rather quick fashion after they blew a pair of leads at home to the Sounders.
| At Least There's No Relegation | ||
|---|---|---|
 | Chicago Fire | 15% (9 out of 60 points) |
 | New England Revolution | 6% (4 out of 60 points) |
 | Toronto FC | 1% (1 out of 60 points) |
 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 0% (0 out of 60 points) |
The Fire continue to show just enough to think there’s reason they could make a late run. If that’s ever going to happen, though, they’ll need to start getting three points instead of one.
How It Works: Each of the 20 participants puts Major League Soccer’s clubs into one of the four tiers. Teams in the top tier get three points. Next tier, two points, then one, then zero. Voters can put as many teams into each tier as they see fit. Though the vote total orders the teams, the clubs are intended to be grouped, not sorted. Although some of the names may indicate otherwise, the point of this is to assess current form and our voters are instructed to place teams in tiers based how those teams will fair in coming weeks.
Who participated: Jeremiah Oshan (SB Nation, soccer); Aaron Campeau (SB Nation, soccer); Ryan Rosenblatt (SB Nation, soccer); Drew Epperley (SB Nation, soccer); Phillip Quinn (SB Nation, soccer); Steve Davis (Daily Soccer Fix); Martin Shatzer (Black and Red United); Scott Kessler (Brotherly Game); Chris “UZ” White (Burgundy Wave); Zach Woosley (Dynamo Theory); Denzel Eslinger (RSL Soapbox); Robert Jonas (Quake, Rattle and Goal); Daniel Robertson (Big D Soccer); Dave Clark (Sounder at Heart); Geoff Gibson (Stumptown Footy), Duncan Fletcher (Waking the Red), Steve Stoehr (The Bent Musket); Tweed Thornton (Hot Time in Old Town), Ben Schneider (Once a Metro); Josie Bekcer (LAG Confidential) Alicia Ratterree (The Goat Parade).
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