NWSL, week 17 preview: Pack your bags

Boston is already eliminated from playoff contention, and by weekend’s end, the Breakers could have some company. Western NY and Houston both head into the weekend on the edge of elimination, each needing a win to keep already slim playoff hopes alive. On the other end of the table, Kansas City could become the second team to clinch a postseason berth, joining already-in Seattle in the postseason. That leaves just two more playoff spots, and three team fight for those spots. The three teams - Washington, Portland and Chicago - head into the weekend separated by just three points, and the Spirit and Red Stars play each other, a game with extra large implications in a week where every game already matters.

Washington Spirit vs. Chicago Red Stars
Maryland SoccerPlex, Saturday 6:30 PM ET

The Spirit is currently sitting in third on the table, a far cry from Washington’s last place finish a season ago. But the playoffs are anything but a sure thing for Mark Parsons’ side. The Spirit will have just two games remaining after this weekend, and with Chicago just three points back Washington could give themselves - and Portland - a little cushion with a win on Saturday. Of course, Chicago too, badly needs a win - and for some other results to go its way. The Red Stars are currently on the outside of the postseason picture, and the Spirit holds the tiebreaker between the two teams, but a Chicago win combined with a Portland loss on Sunday would be enough to put the Red Stars back into the top four.

FC Kansas City vs. Seattle Reign FC
Verizon Wireless Field Durwood Stadium, Saturday 8:00 PM ET

The Reign, already in the postseason, and already guaranteed a home playoff game, checked another item off the second-worst-to-first transformation to-do list on Wednesday, securing the NWSL Shield as the league’s regular season champion thanks to a midweek win in Houston that featured a Kim Little brace and a ridiculous-angle goal from Megan Rapinoe among the highlights. Kansas City will almost certainly provide a tougher test for Seattle than the Dash was, and the Reign has played very few games on short rest this season, making Saturday anything but a sure thing. Seattle will also be without Keelin Winters, who’s suspended for the game after picking up her fifth yellow card of the season on Wednesday.

Kansas City blew its chance to clinch a playoff spot with a midweek loss to the Spirit, but could clinch not only a playoff berth, but also a home playoff game and second on the table with a win and a little help from Chicago. Kansas City and Seattle have met twice previously this season, and both games were close - a 3-2 win for the Reign in mid-May and 1-1 draw a week later.

Boston Breakers vs. Western NY Flash
Harvard Stadium, Sunday 6:30 PM ET

It is, perhaps, appropriate that this game take place at a college, because Boston is about to meet its new roommate at There’s Always Next Year University. The Flash, thanks to a midweek loss in New Jersey, is precariously close to elimination. And since Boston is already eliminated, the Breakers are basically just playing to not finish in last place, especially since the they already traded away their first round pick - the only perk of finishing last - to Sky Blue FC, for Lisa De Vanna, who... was once ejected from a game because she could not stop yelling at the referee, and scored a grand total of zero times for Boston before being traded to the Spirit.

Portland Thorns FC vs. Houston Dash
Providence Park, Sunday 10:00 PM ET

Houston, like Western NY, is precariously close to missing out on the postseason. Because Houston is playing Portland, anything but a win for the Dash on Sunday is enough to mathematically eliminate the expansion club, with or without the “postponed” game against Sky Blue FC that may or may not be made up. Portland too needs a win - the Thorns could fall out of the top four with a loss and a Chicago win on Saturday, and last year’s champions will only have two games remaining after this weekend. Portland hasn’t played since being run over by the Reign to the tune of 5-0 a week ago in Seattle, while the Dash played Wednesday, performing their own version of that particular play with a 4-1 loss to the NWSL Shield winners, and then blaming the whole thing on the league’s new cooling breaks.