COMMERCE CITY — Momentum in sports is a myth, about as helpful as a superstition and as hurtful as a curse. They don’t exist. There is no lucky underwear.

Marvell Wynne knows this well. The Rapids’ veteran fullback isn’t worried about the team being in an off week after a six-game unbeaten streak.

“I don’t think we’re in this form because we’re riding some wave,” Wynne said this week. “We’re just finally clicking. And that’s not something that goes up and down.”

In the early days of Major League Soccer, the Los Angeles Galaxy won 15 games in a row over the 1997-98 seasons. It was an amazing streak, still unmatched in MLS. But momentum didn’t win the Galaxy a single game. Cobi Jones did — back then, he was tearing through MLS defenses.

The Rapids are excelling for a reason. In going 5-1-4 over the past 10 games, they are gaining points with the second-best defense in the league — their 12 goals allowed through 14 games this season is the best mark in the Western Conference. Their 5-4-5 record, with 20 points, puts the Rapids tied for fourth in the West.

And they have done it despite an early stretch filled with injuries.

So maybe this break in their game schedule is a good time for the Rapids to take a few days off?

“Vacation is in December,” said coach Oscar Pareja. “They have assignments to do. I’m very happy with this group. This group has changed its mentality.”

In an especially aggressive stretch, the Rapids recently have attempted to build off a stout back line by pressing forward for more goals. In their past four MLS games, the Rapids scored twice in three of them — a clear uptick.

“As a right back in our formation, he really likes us to go forward into the attack,” said Wynne, whose pressure from the back line last weekend against FC Dallas netted an assist from a long throw-in. “It’s pretty dangerous out there. I like going forward. I think I can cause a problem now and then.”

But that aggressiveness can backfire too. Pareja said the Rapids perhaps were too eager to add a third goal against FC Dallas, allowing the Hoops to counter for the game-tying goal in a 2-2 draw.

“We got excited,” Wynne said. “We got a goal and we wanted another one. We wanted to go for it and end the game. And they just caught us on the counter. It was a good finish. And there you go.”

The Rapids will take several first-team players to Pennsylvania for a reserve game Saturday against the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Pro league. Pareja also will keep the team on a regular training schedule.

“I’m excited to keep playing,” Wynne said. “We have a good run right now. I just want to play some more soccer. I like it.”

Nick Groke: 303-954-1015, ngroke@denverpost.com or twitter.com/nickgroke