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It was a disaster week for the top four teams in the West this week, who went a collective 0-1-3. At the same time, the chase for the eighth seed kicked into high gear with the gap between the projected eighth and tenth seed dropping to only 2.2 points. With three teams all within one winning result of each other for the final spot, anything can happen in the final month of the season.
1 (Last Week – 1) Real Monarchs SLC (68.0)
Current Points: 56
Max Points Remaining: 18
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 0 – Current points projected in top 8
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 6
Elo Points: 1163 (1st)
Control Own Fate: Yes
2 (2) San Antonio FC (64.2)
Current Points: 49
Max Points Remaining: 21
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 0 – Current points projected in top 8
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 7
Elo Points: 1153 (3rd)
Control Own Fate: Yes
3 (3) Reno 1868 FC (61.1)
Current Points: 49
Max Points Remaining: 18
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 0 – Current points projected in top 8
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 3 of 6
Elo Points: 1161 (2nd)
Control Own Fate: Yes
4 (4) Swope Park Rangers (56.7)
Current Points: 45
Max Points Remaining: 18
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 0 – Current points projected in top 8
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 2 of 7
Elo Points: 1132 (4th)
Control Own Fate: Yes
5 (5) Phoenix Rising (53.2)
Current Points: 37
Max Points Remaining: 24
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 5
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 3 of 8
Elo Points: 1113 (7th)
Control Own Fate: Yes
6 (6) Tulsa Roughnecks (49.6)
Current Points: 40
Max Points Remaining: 18
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 2
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 2 of 6
Elo Points: 1125 (5th)
Control Own Fate: Yes
7 (7) Sacramento Republic (49.2)
Current Points: 39
Max Points Remaining: 21
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 3
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 7
Elo Points: 1115 (6th)
Control Own Fate: Yes
8 (10) Orange County SC (42.4)
Current Points: 33
Max Points Remaining: 21
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 9
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 7
Elo Points: 1094 (9th)
Control Own Fate: Yes
9 (8) Oklahoma City Energy (41.8)
Current Points: 34
Max Points Remaining: 18
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 8
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 6
Elo Points: 1098 (8th)
Control Own Fate: No
10 (9) Colorado Springs Switchbacks (40.2)
Current Points: 34
Max Points Remaining: 15
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 8
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 5
Elo Points: 1083 (10th)
Control Own Fate: No
11 (11) Seattle Sounders 2 (35.1)
Current Points: 30
Max Points Remaining: 15
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 12
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 3 of 5
Elo Points: 1064 (13th)
Control Own Fate: No
12 (12) Los Angeles Galaxy II (32.8)
Current Points: 26
Max Points Remaining: 18
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 16
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 6
Elo Points: 1068 (12th)
Control Own Fate: No
13 (13) Rio Grande Valley Toros (31.9)
Current Points: 28
Max Points Remaining: 15
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 14
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 5 of 5
Elo Points: 1071 (11th)
Control Own Fate: No
14 (14) Vancouver Whitecaps 2 (28.7)
Current Points: 23
Max Points Remaining: 15
Points to Hit Projected 8th: 19
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 5
Elo Points: 1054 (14th)
Control Own Fate: No
15 (15) Portland Timbers 2 (15.1)
Current Points: 12
Max Points Remaining: 18
Points to Hit Projected 8th: Eliminated from Playoffs
Remaining Games vs Projected top 8: 4 of 7
Elo Points: 1024 (15th)
Control Own Fate: N/A
The battle for the eighth and final playoff spot has continued to heat up with Orange County jumping back into that last spot thanks to a disappointing draw to end the week for Oklahoma City, but the fight for the final spot is far from over with Orange County clocking in with the third hardest end to the season in the West.
At the same time the battle between Tulsa and Sacramento for the sixth seed, and the battle between hot Phoenix and cold Swope Park for the fourth and final guarantee to host a playoff game heats up as well. There is plenty to be decided in the final month of the season.
Hardest average opponent finish to season (West teams only):
Rio Grande Valley (1.803 points gained/game)
Los Angeles Galaxy II (1.525 points gained/game)
Orange County SC (1.498 points gained/game)
Easiest average opponent finish to season (West teams only):
Phoenix Rising (1.142 points gained/game)
San Antonio FC (1.243 points gained/game)
Swope Park Rangers (1.279 points gained/game)
Will anyone be able to take advantage of an easy finish to the season? Will any clubs break under the pressure of a tough ending to the season or will the rise to the challenge? Let us know your predictions in the comments!