MLS Power Rankings, Week 28: New England regresses, Whitecaps surge

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

Here's how each team ranks after Week 28 of the 2017 season:

1. Toronto FC (-)

• Last Week: 4-0 win vs. LA Galaxy
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 20 vs. Montreal (7:30 p.m. ET)

Toronto FC once again put four goals past a California outfit, but this time the Reds did it without Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore. That's ... terrifying.

2. New York City FC (-)

• Last Week: 1-1 draw vs. Colorado Rapids
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 vs. Houston (3:00 p.m. ET)

It's now a battle for second place in the East and the Shield after New York City FC dropped a crucial result to Colorado in the dying embers of the match.

3. Chicago Fire (+1)

• Last Week: 3-0 win vs. D.C. United
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. ET)

Another strong win for the Chicago Fire saw the team firmly grasp third in the East. While Supporters' Shield ambitions are gone, a playoff berth is assured.

4. Seattle Sounders (-1)

• Last Week: 0-0 draw vs. FC Dallas
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 at Real Salt Lake (9:30 p.m. ET)

The Seattle Sounders took one point against Western teams in consecutive matches, and might be watching their conference lead drift away as a result.

5. Vancouver Whitecaps (+3)

• Last Week: 3-0 win vs. Minnesota, 2-2 draw vs. Columbus
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 vs. Colorado (10:00 p.m. ET)

The Vancouver Whitecaps owe plenty to Yordy Reyna for being the missing piece of the team's attack. Now that he's in? Top of the Western Conference.

6. Atlanta United (+4)

• Last Week: 7-0 win vs. New England, 3-3 draw vs. Orlando
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 20 vs. LA Galaxy (7:00 p.m. ET)

This Atlanta United side is scary. They score goals. They break records. If this form holds, we reckon Tata Martino's men will make a case for the MLS Cup.

7. Sporting Kansas City (-2)

• Last Week: 3-1 win vs. New England
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 20 vs. NY Red Bulls (9:00 p.m. ET)

Sporting Kansas City made short work of the Revs, but drop due to Atlanta's sharp rise. Otherwise, it's business as usual for Peter Vermes and his players.

8. New York Red Bulls (-2)

• Last Week: 0-0 draw vs. Philadelphia Union
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 20 at Sporting KC (9:00 p.m. ET)

Another week, another draw for the New York Red Bulls, who need to start racking up wins if a playoff spot is to be assured. Right now? They're sixth in the East.

9. Portland Timbers (-2)

• Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. Real Salt Lake
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 24 vs. Orlando (8:00 p.m. ET)

The Portland Timbers are the latest casualty of RSL's late-season push for the playoffs. Can this team recover form in time for the postseason?

10. Columbus Crew (+2)

• Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 vs. NY Red Bulls (7:30 p.m. ET)

The Columbus Crew keep plucking only a miserly point out of crucial fixtures, and while the Kekuta Manneh-Tony Tchani reunion was fun, it wasn't enough.

11. San Jose Earthquakes (+2)

• Last Week: 1-0 win vs. Houston Dynamo
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 at D.C. United (7:00 p.m. ET)

The San Jose Earthquakes did well to turn around a 4-0 loss to Toronto with a straightforward 1-0 victory over Houston. Slow and steady wins the race? Maybe.

12. Houston Dynamo (-3)

• Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. San Jose Earthquakes
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 at NYCFC (3:00 p.m. ET)

Two consecutive 1-0 losses have the Houston Dynamo reeling. The team is now out of a playoff spot and has little hope of finding one again. Not good.

13. FC Dallas (-2)

• Last Week: 0-0 draw vs. Seattle Sounders
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. ET)

FC Dallas will hope this draw against a tough Western Conference opponent serves as a stopgap to its sinking ship. They're now below the playoff red line.

14. Real Salt Lake (+2)

• Last Week: 2-1 win vs. Portland Timbers
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 vs. Seattle (9:30 p.m. ET)

Real Salt Lake bounced back well by taking all three points out of Portland, and now sit in the coveted sixth and final playoff spot in the West.

15. Montreal Impact (-)

• Last Week: 3-2 loss vs. Minnesota United
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 20 at Toronto (7:30 p.m. ET)

A losing streak has come to a head for the Montreal Impact, who suffered a late collapse against the Loons and are now well out of the playoff picture.

16. Orlando City (+1)

• Last Week: 3-3 draw vs. Atlanta United
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 24 at Portland (8:00 p.m. ET)

Orlando City took the lead multiple times in front of more than 70,000 Atlanta fans and blew it, each time, to Josef Martinez. It's back to the drawing board.

17. New England Revolution (-3)

• Last Week: 7-0 loss vs. Atlanta, 3-1 loss vs. Sporting KC
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 vs. Toronto (5:00 p.m. ET)

Last week, the New England Revolution jumped up five spots due to a surge of form. That's all but done for after three red cards in a pair of shambolic games.

18. Philadelphia Union (-)

• Last Week: 0-0 draw vs. New York Red Bulls
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 vs. Chicago (7:00 p.m. ET)

The Philadelphia Union did well to hold the Red Bulls to a 0-0 draw. It might have spoiled New York's season, but it did little for Philadelphia's own cause.

19. Minnesota United (-)

• Last Week: 3-0 loss vs Vancouver, 3-2 win vs. Montreal
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 vs. Dallas (8:00 p.m. ET)

Minnesota United suffered a thorough loss to the Whitecaps but found revenge on the other side of Canada with victory over Montreal. Let's keep 'em at 19.

20. D.C. United (-)

• Last Week: 3-0 loss vs. Chicago Fire
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 vs. San Jose (7:00 p.m. ET)

D.C. United lost, again, to an Eastern Conference side. That Chicago wasn't even at full strength isn't comforting, either. Ben Olsen's club needs a rebuild.

21. Colorado Rapids (-)

• Last Week: 1-1 draw vs. New York City FC
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 23 at Vancouver (10:00 p.m. ET)

The Colorado Rapids helped TFC to an 11-point gap at the top of the table with a late equalizer against NYCFC. These late storylines are as good as it gets.

22. LA Galaxy (-1)

• Last Week: 4-0 loss vs. Toronto FC
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 20 at Atlanta (7:00 p.m. ET)

If there was any life in the LA Galaxy of 2017, it was extinguished during the disastrous debut of Jelle Van Damme-replacement Michael Ciani.

Further reading:

• Atlanta United sets MLS attendance record as over 70k pack new stadium
• Jackson-Hamel extends Impact stay
• Atlanta United equals largest margin of victory in MLS history

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)