MLS Looks Toward the Playoffs

By: Laurie | October 9th, 2008

We’re into the last few weeks of the season for MLS. And since MLS is The League That Does Not Recognize International Breaks, this makes it one of the few leagues still playing this weekend. This makes it a good time to look at what’s happening.

First, I’d like to point everybody toward our RBNY blogger Dave Martinez’s liveblog of the RSL-Red Bulls game tonight, starting at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific. Be sure to stop by and leave comments while you watch Real Salt Lake’s debut in their new home stadium on ESPN2.

Aside from tonight’s game, how are things going in the league?

Well, let’s see. David Beckham’s LA Galaxy are limping along in last place despite having the league’s first and third leading scorers in Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle. Sigh.

At the other end of the scale, Houston, New England and Columbus have all clinched playoff spots. That leaves five spots still up for grabs.

The dominance that the Eastern Conference had earlier in the season has largely disappeared, with the exception of the Columbus Crew, who will be this year’s Supporter’s Shield winner with no competition; they currently have 53 points with three games yet to play. Underneath Columbus, we have ten teams sitting in the 33-to-43 point zone, and any of them could conceivably reach the playoffs.

So what does one need to do to make the playoffs? It’s simple. Kind of.

The top three teams from each conference will get in, regardless. So far that’s Columbus (currently with 53 points) and New England (43) in the East, and Houston (43) in the West. Once those six spots are taken, it comes down to the two wildcard spots, which will be filled by the teams with the highest point totals from either division, East or West. So it’s almost, kind of, just for a second, like we’re single table.

Chicago is almost guaranteed that third Eastern spot with 42 points in the bank. After that it’s anybody’s guess.

Other current point totals are:

Eastern Conference

New York: 35
Kansas City: 33
DC United: 33
Toronto FC: 31

Western Conference:

Chivas USA: 39
Real Salt Lake: 35
Colorado: 34
FC Dallas: 34
San Jose: 30
Los Angeles: 29

It’s a tight race. I’m not sure even hapless LA are numerically out of the running, although they would have to rely on everybody ahead of them losing. But from here on out, for every team not yet qualified, every point counts.

So will Columbus continue their great season? Will Houston three-peat?

It’s MLS. Parity is the league’s Double Super Secret Word. Anything can happen.