It rained in Week 5, both literally and figuratively.

In Ohio, a rain storm impacted games in Columbus and Cincinnati, with comical conditions nearly stopping the Crew-Atlanta United match altogether. Atlanta didn't want to continue the match -- and not just because Frank de Boer's system has sucked all of fun out of the defending MLS Cup champs. The Dutchman might as well have a black cloud following him around as he struggles to fix what ails United.

Then there was the deluge of goals: in Kansas City, where Sporting made life miserable for Montreal, and in San Jose, where Carlos Vela played the role of monsoon all by himself against the Quakes.

Previous rankings: Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. LAFC (4 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 6, at D.C. United

If the fans are ready to install Carlos Vela in the LAFC hall of fame, you can hardly blame them. The Mexican star's hat trick against San Jose took his season total to six goals and further put the rest of MLS on notice that he is fully unleashed in Bob Bradley's system. At times on Saturday, it looked like Vela was playing a different game than the Quakes.

Vela was sublime in LAFC's rout of San Jose and looks very much like the early-season front-runner for the MVP award. Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 6, vs. Real Salt Lake (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

The Sounders' winning run to start the season ended at three with a draw in Vancouver against the Whitecaps. That point is the 10th of the year for Seattle, and though it may be a small disappointment not to win again, here's some context: It took the Sounders until April 29 in 2017 and June 9 in 2018 to earn their 10th point of the season. Still undefeated, the Sounders' strong start is unusual for the perennial contenders.

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 6, vs LAFC

It took a bend-but-don't break performance of notable wobble for United to hold onto three points in Orlando, but hold on they did. That was D.C.'s first win on the road since May 19, 2018, a span of 13 games. Teams that eventually win trophies first learn to win games on the road when they're second-best, which is exactly what United accomplished.

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: Friday, April 5, at Vancouver (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Everything you need to know about Zlatan Ibrahimovic is summed up by the postgame interview he gave after scoring twice (both from the spot) in a 2-1 win on Sunday: "I should have scored another one. I promised myself to score three goals today." The best always think more about the goals they didn't score than the ones they did.

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 6, vs. New England (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

The Crew won. That's as far as we're going to go. Games played in monsoons fall under the same heading as games played in blizzards: They're too weird to yield any significant conclusions. What we thought we knew about Columbus ahead of the game is just about the same as what we think we know about Columbus now.

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 13, vs. San Jose

Maybe the best way to combat the potentially debilitating altitude in Colorado is to get out to an early lead and play from a winning position. The Dynamo did just that on Saturday, and then benefited from the work of an unstoppable Alberth Elis up the flank against a woeful Rapids defense. Houston's got a bit of the look of "dark horse" about them.

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Sunday, April 7, at FC Cincinnati (3:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The scoreline speaks for itself. Seven goals, four players, one hat trick and three points toward climbing up the table in the Western Conference. The man with the hat trick, Krisztian Nemeth, had a single goal in 10 appearances last season for Sporting after rejoining the team in August. So far in 2019, he's got eight goals in seven games across all competitions.

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 6, vs. Chicago (3:00 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Álex Pozuelo proved to be worth the wait, eh? The Spaniard's long, looooonnnnggg-awaited debut was a masterclass, displaying his ability to create goals and score them. Pozuelo's chip over Sean Johnson is the type of goal that will long live in the memories of Toronto fans, particularly if the new signing is the key to putting TFC back on top.

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 6, vs. Minnesota (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Two weeks in a row, the Red Bulls fell to "lesser" opponents and were held goalless in the process. Maybe it's too early to ring any alarm bells, but the effort in Chicago was poor for a team that prides itself on energy and pressure every time it steps on the field. The own goal off Tim Parker was fluky and easily dismissed, but it shouldn't come to that for the Supporters' Shield holders.

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 6, at Philadelphia (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

Paxton Pomykal is quickly becoming the "it" midfielder of the early season. The 19-year-old doesn't need to score goals to be effective, but if he can show up on the scoresheet occasionally, that will make him that much more valuable for FCD, both on the field and in the transfer market.

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Saturday, April 13, at New England (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)

There's a lot of "welp" to go around in Atlanta, and though the loss on the road in Columbus comes with a hefty dose of caveat, the defending champs were desperately in need of a victory. Four games without a win would be bad enough without the problems United is having adapting to Frank de Boer's style of play. The light at the end of the tunnel is still missing.