MLS Power Rankings, Week 22: Montreal Impact, Orlando City score big after beating conference foes

BIGGEST MOVERS: Montreal, Orlando City +4 spots  | RSL -5 spots

1

LAST: 3

HIGH: 1 | LOW: 11

So much for boring old D.C. United. Adding Alvaro Saborio has opened up a ton of space for the rest of the attack, which has been sprinkled liberally with golazos over the last 135 minutes.

Latest result: Won vs. Real Salt Lake, 6-4

Last five results: D-L-L-W-W

Next MLS match: Saturday at Montreal

2

LAST: 4

HIGH: 1 | LOW: 11

First road win since last August, and more talent on the way. Getting Juninho and Steven Gerrard minutes together in central midfield made sense -- and worryingly for the rest of the league, they looked good.

Latest result: Won at Colorado, 3-1

Last five results: L-W-W-L-W

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Seattle (ESPN)

3

LAST: 2

HIGH: 1 | LOW: 14

Two points dropped. They obviously feel aggrieved by the no-call at the end, but it's pretty clear this team isn't quite as sharp as they were at this time a month ago.

Latest result: Drew vs. Houston, 1-1

Last five results: W-W-W-L-D

Next MLS match: Saturday at Toronto

4

LAST: 5

HIGH: 1 | LOW: 11

Didn't dominate from the run of play, but the key to understanding this team is knowing that they don't have to dominate the run of play in order to win. They are ruthlessly pragmatic, and are therefore piling up the wins.

Latest result: Won at Seattle, 3-0

Last five results: L-L-D-W-W

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Real Salt Lake

5

LAST: 1

HIGH: 1 | LOW: 11

A precipitous fall from their perch, but that's what happens when you produce such a limp effort against the league's bottom-dwellers. Dallas officially miss Blas Perez, by the way.

Latest result: Lost at Chicago, 2-0

Last five results: W-W-W-W-L

Next MLS match: August 15 vs. LA Galaxy

6

LAST: 6

HIGH: 1 | LOW: 17

The last five results tell the tale for a RBNY team that's perhaps not done strengthening the roster this transfer window. 

Latest result: Won at Philadelphia, 3-1

Last five results: W-L-W-W-W

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Montreal; Sunday vs. NYCFC (FOX Sports 1)

7

LAST: 7

HIGH: 3 | LOW: 16

When Toronto are good, they look like world-beaters. When they're bad, they look exactly like they did last weekend. Now it's time to see if they can put those (home) games in hand to good use.

Latest result: Lost at New England, 3-1

Last five results: L-D-W-D-L

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Orlando City; Saturday vs. Sporting KC

8

LAST: 12

HIGH: 8 | LOW: 20

Picked up just their second road win in the last two years, and look like they've hit upon the right central defensive combination as well. Add in Didier Drogba, and we could be talking about the Impact as legitimate contenders. Maybe.

Latest result: Won at NYCFC, 3-2

Last five results: L-W-L-W-W

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. New York; Saturday vs. D.C. United

9

LAST: 13

HIGH: 9 | LOW: 17

Stopped the bleeding and continued the goal-scoring. OCSC are a ton of fun to watch right now because they can't defend, and nobody can defend them.

Latest result: Won vs. Columbus, 5-2

Last five results: D-L-L-L-W

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Toronto; Saturday vs. Philadelphia

10

LAST: 8

HIGH: 4 | LOW: 15

Certain members of the Power Rankings Politburo are shocked that Columbus haven't dropped further. Internal discord, comrades!

Latest result: Lost at Orlando City, 5-2

Last five results: L-W-W-D-L

Next MLS match: Saturday at Colorado

11

LAST: 9

HIGH: 3 | LOW: 16

Bunkered their way to a point via 55 clearances (second-most of any team in any single game this season), most of them deep in the final third. It wasn't pretty, but it was a damn sight better than their most recent road efforts.

Latest result: Drew at San Jose, 0-0

Last five results: W-L-D-L-D

Next MLS match: Friday vs. Chicago (UniMás)

12

LAST: 11

HIGH: 1 | LOW: 12

Is this rock bottom? Seattle are under .500, just got smoked at home by a rival, and saw Ozzie Alonso limp off. We think they'll recover their early-season form, but there are no guarantees in this league.

Latest result: Lost vs. Vancouver, 3-0

Last five results: W-L-L-L-L

Next MLS match: Sunday at LA Galaxy (ESPN)

13

LAST: 16

HIGH: 2 | LOW: 20

Lee Nguyen has been looking like the 2014 version of himself lately, and Jermaine Jones got a good 15 minutes in as well. Going by last year's clock, the Revs are actually ahead of schedule on their annual mid-summer turn-around.

Latest result: Won vs. Toronto, 3-1

Last five results: L-L-W-D-W

Next MLS match: August 15 vs. Houston

14

LAST: 17

HIGH: 10 | LOW: 18

Luis Garrido is the Honduran Hat-Trick Rick!

Latest result: Drew at Sporting KC, 1-1

Last five results: D-W-L-W-D

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. San Jose

15

LAST: 10

HIGH: 5 | LOW: 17

When they were up 2-0, we started to believe. And then it all fell apart under a hail of scorching drives from D.C.'s wide players. The 4-3-3 falls apart defensively if the wings don't track...

Latest result: Lost at D.C. United, 6-4

Last five results: D-L-W-W-L

Next MLS match: Saturday at Vancouver

16

LAST: 14

HIGH: 10 | LOW: 20

That spot in central midfield where Pirlo operates? Teams are gonna go at that spot for 90 minutes, and there's no easy fix on the roster.

Latest result: Lost vs. Montreal, 3-2

Last five results: W-D-L-W-L

Next MLS match: Sunday at New York (FOX Sports 1)

17

LAST: 20

HIGH: 11 | LOW: 20

Safe to say Jeff Larentowicz and Eric Gehrig will stay the default central defensive choice going forward, with Matt Polster shielding them. Friday will be a big test for all three.

Latest result: Won vs. Dallas, 2-0

Last five results: W-L-L-D-W

Next MLS match: Friday at Portland (UniMás)

18

LAST: 18

HIGH: 8 | LOW: 18

Time after time they were allowed into good spots, and time after time they couldn't make a decisive play. Final third quality is lacking with this group.

Latest result: Drew vs. Portland, 0-0

Last five results: L-L-L-L-D

Next MLS match: Saturday at Houston

19

LAST: 17

HIGH: 15 | LOW: 20

Produced a good 20 minutes, but couldn't build past that against the Galaxy. For a veteran team they looked confused about how to close out a game at home.

Latest result: Lost vs. LA Galaxy, 3-1

Last five results: L-W-W-W-L

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. Columbus

20

LAST: 19

HIGH: 15 | LOW: 20

Actually played fairly well, but at this point you've got to think it's all-in on the Open Cup run, since the regular season looks like a lost cause.

Latest result: Lost vs. New York, 3-1

Last five results: D-W-L-L-L

Next MLS match: Saturday at Orlando City

Only MLS league games will be reflected in the rankings. Rankings are voted on by MLSsoccer.com editorial staff and remarks are written by Senior Editor Matt Doyle (@mlsanalyst).