MLS Power Rankings, Week 24: LA Galaxy drop as reborn Montreal 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 24 of the 2017 season:

1. Toronto FC (-)

• Last Week: 3-1 win vs. Chicago Fire
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 vs. Philadelphia (8:00 p.m. ET)

Utterly unplayable at times, the scariest thing about Toronto FC is that the team still doesn't look like its gotten out of second gear. The Reds are on a rampage.

2. New York City FC (+1)

• Last Week: 2-1 win vs. New England Revolution
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 25 at NY Red Bulls (7:00 p.m. ET)

New York City FC has three wins in a row after a last-gasp triumph over the Revs. The Pigeons are the only real challenger to TFC in the Supporters' Shield race.

3. Sporting Kansas City (+1)

• Last Week: 2-0 win vs. FC Dallas
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 26 at Houston (9:00 p.m. ET)

Even if Sporting Kansas City has been a little inconsistent of late, it doesn't matter much in the West, as a win over Dallas secured a return to the top spot.

4. Chicago Fire (-1)

• Last Week: 3-1 loss vs. Toronto FC
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 26 vs. Minnesota (8:30 p.m. ET)

Three losses in a row against Eastern Conference sides has the Chicago Fire in something of a slump; losing to Toronto also ruined a perfect home record.

5. Seattle Sounders (+3)

• Last Week: 2-1 win vs. Minnesota United
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 at Vancouver (10:00 p.m. ET)

The Seattle Sounders have surged back to the top of the Western Conference after stealing all three points with a last-second penalty against the Loons.

6. FC Dallas (-1)

• Last Week: 2-0 loss vs. Sporting Kansas City
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 vs. Houston (8:00 p.m. ET)

FC Dallas is enduring a bit of a slide, having gone without a win in its last four matches. As a result, the Hoops now sit in the precarious fifth spot in the West.

7. New York Red Bulls (-1)

• Last Week: 2-0 loss vs. Portland Timbers
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 25 vs. NYCFC (7:00 p.m. ET)

Up and down the New York Red Bulls go, but that's been the story all year. This week? Another down, but the team can next try for derby redemption.

8. Atlanta United (-1)

• Last Week: Bye Week
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 at D.C. United (7:30 p.m. ET)

Unbeaten in six and with at least two games in hand, Atlanta United used the week off to tour Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the club's new home ground.

9. Portland Timbers (+1)

• Last Week: 2-0 win vs. New York Red Bulls
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 vs. Colorado (10:30 p.m. ET)

The Portland Timbers shrugged off a 4-1 loss to Toronto with a nice little win at Red Bull Arena, and will hope to ride that form as lowly Colorado pays a visit.

10. Houston Dynamo (-1)

• Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 at Dallas (8:00 p.m. ET)

The Houston Dynamo are benefiting from a tight midsection in the Western table's playoff places, but a few more dropped results could mean a red-line view.

11. Vancouver Whitecaps (-)

• Last Week: 2-1 win vs. Houston Dynamo
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 vs. Seattle (10:00 p.m. ET)

Wins, losses, draws - the Vancouver Whitecaps are all over the place, but when Yordy Reyna and Fredy Montero find their groove, this is a hard team to stop.

12. San Jose Earthquakes (+1)

• Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Philadelphia Union
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 at Real Salt Lake (10:00 p.m. ET)

A draw is fine for the San Jose Earthquakes, especially if it comes off a 95th-minute penalty buried by Chris Wondolowski. The 'Quakes were lucky here.

13. Montreal Impact (+4)

• Last Week: 3-1 win vs. Real Salt Lake
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 27 vs. Toronto (4:30 p.m. ET)

Back above the red line, the Montreal Impact have a week to prepare for a battle with bitter rival Toronto FC, and to sort out the future of Ignacio Piatti.

14. Orlando City (-2)

• Last Week: 1-1 draw vs. Columbus Crew
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 26 vs. Vancouver (7:30 p.m. ET)

Orlando City turned around a rough patch of conceding late goals by scoring a second-half equalizer, but remains without a win in six matches. Not good.

15. Columbus Crew (-)

• Last Week: 1-1 draw vs. Orlando City
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 vs. LA Galaxy (7:30 p.m. ET)

The Columbus Crew went into the Lions' den and nearly clawed out a win but for a Giles Barnes equalizer. The Eastern Conference playoff race is now on.

16. Philadelphia Union (-2)

• Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. San Jose Earthquakes
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 at Toronto (8:00 p.m. ET)

Three points were all but assured for the Philadelphia Union, but Joshua Yaro threw away a pair with a silly foul in the box late in the match.

17. New England Revolution (-1)

• Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. New York City FC
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 26 at D.C. United (7:00 p.m. ET)

The New England Revolution blew it against NYCFC, in a matchup where three points were more than desperately needed.

18. Minnesota United (+1)

• Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. Seattle Sounders
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 26 at Chicago (8:30 p.m. ET)

You know what? We're going to give Minnesota United a bit of credit after the Loons just barely lost to Seattle.

19. Real Salt Lake (+1)

• Last Week: 3-1 loss vs. Montreal Impact
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 vs. San Jose (10:00 p.m. ET)

Real Salt Lake get a bump up, but only because of movement around them. As Montreal demonstrated, there are still plenty of defensive holes in this team.

20. LA Galaxy (-2)

• Last Week: Bye Week
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 at Columbus (7:30 p.m. ET)

The LA Galaxy have been weakened further after selling Jelle Van Damme to Royal Antwerp. We're ready to call it here, folks - this team is done for.

21. D.C. United (+1)

• Last Week: 1-0 win vs. Colorado Rapids
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 vs. Atlanta (7:30 p.m. ET)

Hey, this late into a miserable season, the least you can do is beat your fellow basement dwellers. D.C. United managed to pull that one off this time.

22. Colorado Rapids (-1)

• Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. D.C. United
• Next MLS Match: Aug. 23 at Portland (10:30 p.m. ET)

The Colorado Rapids parted ways with head coach Pablo Mastroeni this week, but that didn't help as the team lost to last-placed D.C. United soon after.

Further reading:

• Piatti hints at end of Montreal tenure: 'Maybe that's it, my last 10 games here'
• Jonathan Dos Santos: I was 'not even close' to signing for Club America
• Hasler shatters Chicago's perfect home record as TFC pulls away at the top

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)