Welcome back to another edition of SRFC Question of the week. This week, ICS wants to ask about the potential USL finals.

You guys know how this works; leave us your answer in the comments section.

The western conference playoff race is heating up, but the question remains. Can any of the top western teams beat Rochester in a final?

Josh - @josh_beeman

That’s really the big question isn’t it? With the new schedule format there’s no real way to gauge the strength of the conferences compared to each other until the Final.

Rochester’s defensive strength is something that is is unheard of in the Western Conference. And with no chance of them facing a Western Conference team until the final, we won’t know how significant the strength of the Eastern Conference is to that goals against average.

That being said, it’s definitely possible that some of the top teams in the West will be able to handle the Rhinos. S2, Los Dos, and Colorado Springs have potent offenses that might be able to break through that defense. Even Sac Republic could do it provided they get into the playoffs and find a way out of their little slump.

Whether or not they can beat the Rhinos in Rochester, where the final would undoubtedly be played, is a different matter altogether. Winning against such a good team at home, with a long trip thrown in as a bonus, is no easy task.

Kyle - @kylejkepner

If the Rhinos play in the final, they’ll probably host, and they haven’t lost at home to a USL opponent since August 10, 2014. Only Tulsa and LA have winning records on the road this season. So it looks pretty bleak for a western team rolling into Sahlen’s Stadium.

All that being said, there are several teams in the West with enough firepower to topple the Rhinos. OKC’s Danni Konig has been streaky, but when he’s on, he’s on, and the Energy have only lost twice when he gets on the board. Colorado Springs, Tulsa, and Seattle are all scoring goals at a terrific clip, and they’ll need them against Rochester, which is allowing a goal only about every other game.

Can a western team beat Rochester? Yes. Will it happen? It wouldn’t be the weirdest thing that happened in this league.

This week’s special guest is none other than Mr. Brendan Doherty. Brendan covers the Rochester Rhinos for both Reckless Challenge and The Bent Musket. You will be hard-pressed to find too many people with his knowledge of USL and American soccer in general.

In order to beat Rochester, a Western Conference playoff team will need to take a page from Charlotte Independence’s book. Charlotte, the only team to beat the Rhinos, conceded first but didn’t sit back. At home, the Independence threw numbers at Rochester and changed the point of the attack to exploit any gaps in the normally organized defense. Bob Lilley’s squad has shown time after time the ability and patience to break down a bunkered opponent and has even earned points from losing positions on the road twice this season.

If Rochester wins home-field advantage through the playoffs, as current form suggest they might, any Western Conference team would need a hope and a prayer to get a result at Sahlen’s Stadium.

Now it’s your turn. Leave your answer in the comment section. Do it. Don’t be shy. You’ll feel good about yourself.