MLS continued at the weekend with a series of fascinating and surprising results, including a huge win for the Seattle Sounders. So, here are the Week 25 MLS Power Rankings.

It was another intriguing week of MLS action. Big wins for the Seattle Sounders and Sporting KC in the West. Atlanta United strengthening their grip on the East. Wayne Rooney and D.C. United continuing their charge up the standings.

MLS is certainly hotting up as we enter the final stretch. Teams are scrapping for their playoff lives. It makes every match that much more important, with each and every point a precious commodity.

And so, in this context of desperation and late surges, here are the Week 25 MLS Power Rankings.

Bottom of the Barrel

23 Chicago Fire 6-15-5 Last week: 1-2 Loss @ Montreal Impact

Last rank: 22 Chicago held things together in the first half of the season, giving themselves a chance, despite ownership doing it’s best to ruin the club. The fans had their three wishes granted: getting new ownership, a Katai signing, and some measure of dignity for, and acknowledgement of, the loyal supporters’ groups. The Fire seemingly have not won since. Schweinsteiger was clumsy to give up the penalty. Nikolic bagged an equalizer in the 70th minute, only for Montreal to score the winner in extra time. Now eight losses running, the Fire’s season is lost. Even the U.S. Open Cup run ended just short of the final. With any luck for Sector Latino and Section 8, Paunovic and Nelson will be anywhere but near the Harlem End of Bridgeview at the turn of the year.

22 San Jose EarthQuakes 3-13-8 Last week: 1-1 vs Toronto FC

Last rank: 23 Wondolowski got another goal closer to the record and the Quakes are one game closer to the end of a miserable season with at least a point attached to Wondo’s goal. Hoesen and Qazaishvili looked like decent contributors for a full game, in the same game, with those two playing with a rejuvenated looking spirit. But even with the lively play, the Quakes wasted several chances for all three points.

21 Orlando City SC 7-15-2 Last week: idle

Last rank: 21 Players — Will Johnson on this occasion — and coach O’Connor alike are saying all the right things: they want to ‘fix things’. They know they have work to do. They need to improve defensively, starting against Atlanta. But it’s also the story of their season. Shutouts have been rare, as have points lately. The playoffs likely prove elusive once again. Signing Carlos Ascues to shore up the defense is too little too late, but at least the Lions might finish in a respectable position in the table. No danger of the Wooden Spoon is the only positive at this point.

20 Houston Dynamo 7-7-10 Last week: 1-2 Loss vs Real Salt Lake

Last rank: 18 Nothing says undeserving and lack of focus like giving up multiple goals in stoppage time. Both are true of this year’s Dynamo. For non-Houston fans, one stat tells the story of the season: Houston have dropped points in eight of the 24 games by conceding goals after the 80th minute. A home loss in the U.S. Open Cup final would likely be a fatal blow to the season, if not some jobs.

19 Colorado Rapids 6-12-6 Last week: 2-2 @ LA Galaxy/0-2 L @ LAFC

Last rank: 20 Deklan Wynne keeps getting starts, and continues to get beat with the most basic of passing sequences. When he needs to stop the ball, he is backpedaling. When he needs to keep both attackers in front of him, he charges at the ball and is beaten by simple give-and-go moves. With him at the back, the Rapids would leak goals even with peak-Howard. Moreover, with McBean wasting chances up front, the Rapids lack the quality and end product to threaten most teams. LAFC kept Edgar Castillo pinned back, further stifling the normal avenues of the Rapids’ attack. The midfield core looked decent, even in a loss, but this Rapids squad needs several new non-Hudson signings to really compete.

18 Minnesota United 9-14-2 Last week: 0-2 Loss @ FC Dallas

Last rank: 16 Without Darwin Quintero to take the initiative, Minnesota United traveled to Dallas and basically obliged in a defending exercise. The Loons puzzle was solved once late in the first half and early in the second half. The better teams in MLS have this team solved, with most able to mark out Quintero’s help even with a first choice lineup. After the trade of Ramirez, the Minnesota front office seemingly began looking towards next year. Does that 2019 season opener have Adrian Heath on the touchline? Without Darwin Quintero to take the initiative, Minnesota United traveled to Dallas and basically obliged in a defending exercise. The Loons puzzle was solved once late in the first half and early in the second half. The better teams in MLS have this team solved, with most able to mark out Quintero’s help even with a first choice lineup. After the trade of Ramirez, the Minnesota front office seemingly began looking towards next year. Does that 2019 season opener have Adrian Heath on the touchline?

17 New England Revolution 8-12-4 Last week: 0-2 Loss @ DC United

Last rank: 15 The Revs record of late (0-5-2) lends credence to the arguments that Brad Freidel’s tactics have been found out, and that the jettisoning the best attacking talent in favor of workhorse types and rah-rah speeches only works for so long. The Revs seemed out of ideas once they crossed midfield and the early-season adrenaline to impress the new manager has dissipated. In order to make the playoffs in his first season, Freidel will now need to formulate a more nuanced attacking approach that is able to beat teams with greater talent.