MLS Power Rankings, Week 7: NYCFC keeps top spot, Seattle slides

Welcome to the 2018 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 7.

1. New York City FC

• Last Week: 4-0 win vs. RSL, 2-2 draw vs. Atlanta United
• Next MLS Match: April 22 at Portland (6 p.m. ET)

New York City FC kicked off the week with a trouncing of poor RSL, then held Atlanta to a draw away from home. Early Supporters' Shield favorites? Maybe.

2. Atlanta United

• Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. New York City FC
• Next MLS Match: April 21 at LA Galaxy (10:30 p.m. ET)

Atlanta United had a chance to leapfrog NYCFC with a win over its blue-clad opponent, but faltered at home and then held on to preserve the deadlock.

3. Sporting Kansas City

• Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Seattle Sounders
• Next MLS Match: April 20 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (9 p.m. ET)

Any doubts about Sporting KC's ability to contend with the best in MLS have been dashed, but can Seattle be considered among the best anymore?

4. Toronto FC

• Last Week: 2-0 loss vs. Colorado Rapids
• Next MLS Match: April 21 at Houston (3 p.m. ET)

Does this loss even count for Toronto FC? Sure, it does on paper, and in the standings, but for our purposes, that was actually Toronto FC II in action.

5. New York Red Bulls ▲

• Last Week: 3-1 win vs. Montreal Impact
• Next MLS Match: April 21 vs. Chicago (3:30 p.m. ET)

The New York Red Bulls defeated Montreal courtesy of goals from attackers old and new, as Bradley Wright-Phillips and "Kaku" each scored in this win.

6. Vancouver Whitecaps ▼

• Last Week: 2-0 loss vs. Los Angeles FC
• Next MLS Match: April 20 at Sporting KC (9 p.m. ET)

Back-to-back losses are no good for the Vancouver Whitecaps, who take a dip in our rankings as a result.

7. LA Galaxy ▲

• Last Week: 1-0 win vs. Chicago Fire
• Next MLS Match: April 21 vs. Atlanta (10:30 p.m. ET)

"Remember when people didn't believe Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be the greatest player in league history?" - MLS fans, eight months from now.

8. Los Angeles FC ▲

• Last Week: 2-0 win vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
• Next MLS Match: April 21 at Montreal (2 p.m. ET)

LAFC stormed back into the win column courtesy of an impressive display against the Whitecaps that will reassure Bob Bradley of his progress.

9. Houston Dynamo ▲

• Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. San Jose Earthquakes
• Next MLS Match: April 21 vs. Toronto (3 p.m. ET)

The Houston Dynamo needed more than a draw against San Jose, though neither team did enough to merit all three points. On to the next one.

10. Columbus Crew SC ▼

• Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. D.C. United
• Next MLS Match: April 21 vs. New England (7:30 p.m. ET)

Losing to D.C. United in 2018 isn't good. Columbus may have had a bright start, but that early surge might soon be replaced by a miserable slog.

11. Orlando City ▲

• Last Week: 2-0 win vs. Philadelphia Union
• Next MLS Match: April 21 vs. San Jose (7:30 p.m. ET)

Now that's more like it for Orlando City, which went for the straightforward, no-nonsense win this time instead of subjecting its fans to a dramatic finale.

12. Chicago Fire ▼

• Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. LA Galaxy
• Next MLS Match: April 21 at NY Red Bulls (3:30 p.m. ET)

The Bastian Schweinsteiger-at-sweeper trial was working wonderfully before the Galaxy came to town, with Zlatan easily exploiting defensive weaknesses.

13. New England Revolution ▼

• Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. FC Dallas
• Next MLS Match: April 21 at Columbus (7:30 p.m. ET)

"You win some, you lose some" is the way things go for the New England Revolution these days, who slip down a few spots after a listless showing.

14. San Jose Earthquakes ▲

• Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Houston Dynamo
• Next MLS Match: April 21 at Orlando (7:30 p.m. ET)

New San Jose Earthquakes striker Magnus Eriksson scored yet again this week, showing signs that there's more to this team than Chris Wondolowski.

15. Montreal Impact ▼

• Last Week: 3-1 loss vs. New York Red Bulls
• Next MLS Match: April 21 vs. LAFC (1 p.m. ET)

The Montreal Impact suffered yet another loss, and while there are signs of change under Remi Garde, it looks like it'll come with growing pains.

16. Philadelphia Union ▼

• Last Week: 2-0 loss vs. Orlando City
• Next MLS Match: April 21 at FC Dallas (8 p.m. ET)

The Philadelphia Union failed to overcome a resurgent Orlando and slumped to a 2-0 defeat. There just aren't enough difference-makers in this team.

17. FC Dallas ▲

• Last Week: 1-0 win vs. New England Revolution
• Next MLS Match: April 21 vs. Philadelphia (8 p.m. ET)

FC Dallas remains undefeated in league play this season but still isn't as dominant as many expected. Keeping strong is important, though.

18. Minnesota United ▼

• Last Week: 3-2 loss vs. Portland Timbers
• Next MLS Match: April 22 at Seattle (4 p.m. ET)

Minnesota United needed a win to right the ship and had a pretty good chance to get one against a weak Portland side. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.

19. Portland Timbers ▲

• Last Week: 3-2 win vs. Minnesota United
• Next MLS Match: April 22 vs. NYCFC (6 p.m. ET)

The Portland Timbers finally post a win for the 2018 season, but it didn't come easy. Giovanni Savarese's side had to work for all three points, as it should.

20. Seattle Sounders ▼

• Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Sporting Kansas City
• Next MLS Match: April 22 vs. Minnesota (4 p.m. ET)

The Seattle Sounders finally registered a goal in 2018, though the win column remains bare. Trouble is brewing in the pacific northwest.

21. Real Salt Lake ▼

• Last Week: 4-0 loss vs. New York City FC
• Next MLS Match: April 21 vs. Colorado (9 p.m. ET)

One step forward, two steps back for Real Salt Lake, which came off a 2-1 win only to once again lose comprehensively at the hands of superior opposition.

22. Colorado Rapids

• Last Week: 2-0 win vs. Toronto FC
• Next MLS Match: April 21 at Real Salt Lake (9 p.m. ET)

The Colorado Rapids defeated a makeshift TFC, but didn't do so with the sort of ease expected of an MLS side in such circumstances.

23. D.C. United

• Last Week: 1-0 win vs. Columbus Crew SC
• Next MLS Match: April 28 at Philadelphia (3:30 p.m. ET)

D.C. United earned its second win of the season, which may not be much in the grand scope of things, but it's more than Toronto FC has ... which is nice.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)