MLS Power Rankings, Week 29: Dallas and Chicago plummet as Atlanta rises

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 29 of the 2017 season:

1. Toronto FC (-)

• Last Week: 5-3 loss vs. Montreal, 2-1 loss vs. New England
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 30 vs. NY Red Bulls (7:00 p.m. ET)

Is this the down week Toronto FC needed before kicking into high gear for playoffs? Perhaps, but Greg Vanney's only priority is getting everyone healthy.

2. New York City FC (-)

• Last Week: 1-1 draw vs. Houston Dynamo
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 at Montreal (7:30 p.m. ET)

New York City FC keeps dropping points against inferior sides on paper, but at this point, it's unlikely the team will finish below third place, so ... it's all good.

3. Atlanta United (+3)

• Last Week: 4-0 win vs. LA Galaxy, 2-0 win vs. Montreal
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 vs. Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. ET)

Atlanta United is soaring off the back of Josef Martinez's red-hot scoring form. Losing Miguel Almiron will hurt, though.

4. Vancouver Whitecaps (+1)

• Last Week: 2-1 win vs. Colorado Rapids
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 at Seattle (10:30 p.m. ET)

Keep doing what you're doing, Vancouver Whitecaps. It's working.

5. Sporting Kansas City (+2)

• Last Week: 2-1 win vs. NY Red Bulls, 2-1 win vs. LA Galaxy
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 30 vs. Vancouver (9:00 p.m. ET)

A pair of league wins and a U.S. Open Cup title has Sporting Kansas City feeling pretty good right now. They're just one point away from top of the West.

6. Portland Timbers (+3)

• Last Week: 3-0 win vs. Orlando City
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 30 at San Jose (10:30 p.m. ET)

Diego Valeri has scored in each of his last nine matches, helping the Portland Timbers to another comprehensive win and now topping the Golden Boot race.

7. Seattle Sounders (-3)

• Last Week: 2-0 loss vs. Real Salt Lake
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 vs. Vancouver (10:30 p.m. ET)

Whoops. The Seattle Sounders won't be happy with this loss, especially as the team slipped from first to fourth in the last few weeks. Time for a new strategy?

8. Chicago Fire (-5)

• Last Week: 3-1 loss vs. Philadelphia Union
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 at San Jose (10:30 p.m. ET)

We wonder what the top of the East might have looked like if the Chicago Fire didn't drop so many easy points. Movement above causes this steep drop.

9. Columbus Crew (+1)

• Last Week: 3-2 win vs. New York Red Bulls
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 30 vs. D.C. United (7:30 p.m. ET)

All things considered, the Columbus Crew continue to impress with win after much-needed win. Perhaps this is the dark horse team of the 2017 playoffs.

10. New York Red Bulls (-2)

• Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. Sporting KC, 3-2 loss vs. Columbus
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 vs. D.C. United (7:30 p.m. ET)

It was a week to forget for the New York Red Bulls. The team dropped to sixth in the East and must now deal with a resurgent Montreal knocking on the door.

11. Real Salt Lake (+3)

• Last Week: 2-0 win vs. Seattle Sounders
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 30 at LA Galaxy (10:30 p.m. ET)

Real Salt Lake is back in tip-top form, having done away with two Cascadia outfits in as many weeks. This latest win has RSL back firmly in a playoff spot.

12. Houston Dynamo (-)

• Last Week: 1-1 draw vs. New York City FC
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 vs. LA Galaxy (8:30 p.m. ET)

The Houston Dynamo did well to battle back for a point against NYCFC but remain below the red line in the West, tied with San Jose with a game in hand.

13. San Jose Earthquakes (-2)

• Last Week: 4-0 loss vs. D.C. United
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 vs. Chicago (10:30 p.m. ET)

In losing to D.C., the San Jose Earthquakes opened the door for Houston to leapfrog them and take the sixth and final playoff spot in the West.

14. Montreal Impact (+1)

• Last Week: 5-3 win vs. Toronto, 2-0 loss vs. Atlanta
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 vs. NYCFC (7:30 p.m. ET)

The Montreal Impact played impressive spoilers in defeating rivals Toronto 5-3, but lost the follow-up to Atlanta in a crucial match for their playoff hopes.

15. New England Revolution (+2)

• Last Week: 2-1 win vs. Toronto FC
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 at Orlando (7:30 p.m. ET)

Fresh off the firing of head coach Jay Heaps, the New England Revolution handed a second defeat to Toronto - a result that should do well for confidence.

16. FC Dallas (-3)

• Last Week: 4-1 loss vs. Minnesota United
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 vs. Colorado (8:00 p.m. ET)

It's all gone downhill for FC Dallas, now well and truly out of a playoff berth at eighth in the West. Hopes of salvaging the season grow dimmer each week.

17. Philadelphia Union (+1)

• Last Week: 3-1 win vs. Chicago Fire
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 at Atlanta (7:00 p.m. ET)

The Philadelphia Union needed three points to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, and managed to get exactly that out of Chicago at this crucial juncture.

18. Minnesota United (+1)

• Last Week: 4-1 win vs. FC Dallas
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 30 at Houston (8:30 p.m. ET)

Minnesota United won back-to-back for the first time in its MLS history, giving Dallas a thorough 4-1 beatdown. There are silver linings yet for the Loons.

19. Orlando City (-3)

• Last Week: 3-0 loss vs. Portland Timbers
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 vs. New England (7:30 p.m. ET)

Orlando City isn't exactly in the playoff hunt, but losing 3-0 to the Timbers still didn't do much for morale or confidence.

20. D.C. United (-)

• Last Week: 4-0 win vs. San Jose
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 at NY Red Bulls (7:30 p.m. ET)

Who knew Patrick Mullins had a four-goal performance in him this season? Certainly, D.C. United benefited greatly from it, at San Jose's expense.

21. Colorado Rapids (-)

• Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 at Dallas (8:00 p.m. ET)

The Colorado Rapids aren't necessarily an easy team to play against, but the Whitecaps didn't exactly struggle for three points, either.

22. LA Galaxy (-)

• Last Week: 4-0 loss vs. Atlanta, 2-1 loss vs. Sporting KC
• Next MLS Match: Sept. 27 at Houston (8:30 p.m. ET)

The LA Galaxy lost 4-0 again, this time to Atlanta, and then again, convincingly, to Sporting KC, cementing their label as the worst team of 2017.

Further reading:

• Bradley bashes Gillette Stadium's 'ridiculous' football lines
• Sporting KC tames Red Bulls to win U.S. Open Cup
• Atlanta closes in on playoffs as Almiron goes down injured

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)