MLS Power Rankings, Week 2: Timbers climb table, but where do they sit?

Welcome to the 2017 MLS Power Rankings, where we rank each team after each week with consideration to form, latest results, stats, and some other intangibles to try and craft an idea of how things stand in one single table.

Here's how each team ranks after Week 2 of the 2017 season:

1. Portland Timbers (+2)

Last Week: 1-0 win vs. LA Galaxy
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. Houston (10:30 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
2-0-0	6	1

The Timbers fell onto a bit of luck, quite literally, as David Guzman managed to get Jelle Van Damme ejected, but a win was already in delivery.

2. New York Red Bulls (-)

Last Week: 1-0 win vs. Colorado Rapids
Next MLS Match: March 19 at Seattle (7:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
2-0-0	3	1

The Red Bulls have always been good at churning out wins when it counts and took all three points out of a usually stubborn Rapids as a result.

3. FC Dallas (-2)

Last Week: 0-0 draw vs. Sporting Kansas City
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. New England (8:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
1-0-1	2	1

FC Dallas wanted a bit more out of Sporting KC but put in a valiant effort nonetheless, with half its starters rested for a midweek Champions League tilt.

4. Seattle Sounders (+1)

Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Montreal Impact
Next MLS Match: March 19 vs. NY Red Bulls (7:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-1-1	3	4

Don't count the Sounders out of any match; the reigning MLS Cup champions did well to turn around a 2-0 deficit and take a point from Montreal.

5. Toronto FC (-1)

Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Philadelphia Union
Next MLS Match: March 18 at Vancouver (4:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-0-2	2	2

Toronto FC lost Sebastian Giovinco to injury in the early goings of a match against Philadelphia, then blew a 2-1 lead just two minutes after earning it.

6. Colorado Rapids (-)

Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. New York Red Bulls
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. Minnesota (9:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
1-1-0	1	1

The Rapids clearly haven't solved their goal-scoring issues, and while close games can turn on a knife's edge, it won't always fall in their favour.

7. Houston Dynamo (+1)

Last Week: 3-1 win vs. Columbus Crew
Next MLS Match: March 18 at Portland (10:30 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
2-0-0	5	2

The Dynamo made short work of Columbus, with Erick Torres proving himself quite the tricky forward and the team's new wingers doing the same.

8. San Jose Earthquakes (+1)

Last Week: 3-2 win vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
Next MLS Match: March 18 at Sporting KC (8:30 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
2-0-0	4	2

The Earthquakes needed to figure out how to win close encounters, and did just that, late on, against the Whitecaps. Are they an early dark horse?

9. Atlanta United (+3)

Last Week: 6-1 win vs. Minnesota United
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. Chicago (4:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
1-1-0	7	3

Sure, the win came against Minnesota, but fellow expansion outfit Atlanta United put on a show in the snow and made MLS history with a six-goal rout.

10. New York City FC

Last Week: 4-0 win vs. D.C. United
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. Montreal (2:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
1-1-0	4	1

New York City FC is a dangerous team on its day and there are signs already of an incredible partnership between David Villa and Maxi Moralez.

11. LA Galaxy (-4)

Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. Portland Timbers
Next MLS Match: March 18 at Real Salt Lake (9:30 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-2-0	1	3

The last time the Galaxy lost two consecutive home matches? 2012. The last time this team lost its first two matches of the season? 2001. Ouch.

12. Orlando City (-2)

Last Week: Match postponed
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. Philadelphia (7:30 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
1-0-0	1	0

Orlando City drops down a spot only because other teams (we're looking at you, Atlanta) moved up into the Top 10.

13. Real Salt Lake (-2)

Last Week: 2-0 loss vs. Chicago Fire
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. LA Galaxy (9:30 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-1-1	0	2

Losing to Chicago used to be a stain on a season, but Real Salt Lake might just be the first victim of an emerging threat in MLS.

14. Sporting Kansas City (-)

Last Week: 0-0 draw vs. FC Dallas
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. San Jose (8:30 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-0-2	0	0

Sporting Kansas City should have done more against a half-strength FC Dallas but we'll give them the nod for surviving against a tough conference foe.

15. Montreal Impact (+2)

Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Seattle Sounders
Next MLS Match: March 18 at NYCFC (2:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-1-1	2	3

The Impact would have made a huge leap up this table if not for a last-minute collapse against Seattle. But, we're confident they'll be fine.

16. Philadelphia Union (+2)

Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Toronto FC
Next MLS Match: March 18 at Orlando (7:30 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-0-2	2	2

The Union did well to battle back and secure a point against a tough Toronto FC side, but not well enough to climb too high up this ranking.

17. Vancouver Whitecaps (-2)

Last Week: 3-2 loss vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. Toronto FC (4:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-1-1	2	3

The Whitecaps are struggling in the Western Conference these days, but there's still plenty of quality across the park.

18. Chicago Fire (+2)

Last Week: 2-0 win vs. Real Salt Lake
Next MLS Match: March 18 at Atlanta (4:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
1-0-1	3	1

Well, well, well ... is the Fire truly back? It looks that way. This isn't the team of the last two seasons, at the very least. This team has improved.

19. D.C. United (-3)

Last Week: 4-0 loss vs. New York City FC
Next MLS Match: March 18 vs. Columbus (7:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-1-1	0	4

D.C. United is sorely missing Luciano Acosta, but the rest of the squad looks thin, too. Ian Harkes impressed in his debut, but it just wasn't enough.

20. New England Revolution (-1)

Last Week: Match postponed
Next MLS Match: March 18 at Dallas (8:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-1-0	0	1

Like Orlando, the Revolution only drop a spot because other teams have moved above them in the rankings.

21. Columbus Crew (-)

Last Week: 3-1 loss vs. Houston Dynamo
Next MLS Match: March 18 at D.C. United (7:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-1-1	2	4

At least Ola Kamara got on the board for the Crew; that's a positive sign ... right?

22. Minnesota United (-)

Last Week: 6-1 loss vs. Atlanta United
Next MLS Match: March 18 at Colorado (9:00 p.m. ET)

Record (W-L-D)	Goals For	Goals Against
0-2-0	2	11

We have to wonder, if the option to pre-order a spot existed for Minnesota United ... would the Loons take it? This team is not ready for MLS this season.