COMMERCE CITY, CO (Updated Mon. Oct. 12) – Your Colorado Rapids took a break from MLS action this week as they gear up for their final two matches of the 2009 season.

 

After their bye weekend, the Rapids' next opportunity to solidify their playoff position will come this Saturday, Oct. 17, when they travel to Pizza Hut Park to take on FC Dallas.

 

ColoradoRapids.com will be posting updated playoff race scenarios here every week through the end of the regular season, so check back for weekly updates!

 

The Rapids (10-8-10, 40 points) earned their franchise record fourth straight draw, against New England in their last game on Oct. 3, but following the other Week 29 results from around the league, saw their playoff position drop from #3 to the #5 seed in the West.

 

After Week 30 in MLS play, the Rapids' playoff positioning did not move.

 

Chivas USA booked their tickets to the postseason over the weekend after earning a 2-0 victory over Kansas City, joining the Los Angeles Galaxy, Houston Dynamo and Columbus Crew in the playoffs.

 

If the MLS Cup Playoffs started today, Columbus would qualify as the top team in the East, with the Chicago Fire taking the second automatic berth. Los Angeles and Houston would be the automatic qualifiers from the Western Conference.

 

The Rapids would capture the third wildcard position in the West, sending them to the Eastern Conference bracket and a match-up vs. Columbus. Chivas USA earn the first wildcard, while idle Seattle garners the second wildcard spot. New England currently are in position to earn the only wildcard berth in the East.

 

If the season were to end today, five teams out of the Western Conference would qualify for the playoffs.

 

But the season does not end today, and the current rankings cannot account for the uneven amount of games played.

 

Each club has between two and three games left to secure one of the four remaining postseason spots before the MLS Cup Playoffs begin on Oct. 29.

 

Columbus, Chivas USA, Houston and Los Angeles are the only teams to have clinched a playoff spot, and the New York Red Bulls and San Jose Earthquakes have been eliminated from possible playoff contention as of today.

 

Coming up in Week 31, the following scenarios could occur:

 

Chicago Fire will clinch a playoff spot and home-field advantage for the Conference Semifinal Series IF:
• Chicago defeats New England Saturday

 

Chicago Fire will clinch a playoff spot IF:
•  Chicago ties New England AND
 o D.C. United fails to win vs. Columbus AND
 o FC Dallas fails to win vs. Colorado AND EITHER: 
 o RSL fails to win vs. New York Wednesday AND Toronto fails to win vs. RSL OR 
   - Toronto and RSL tie on Saturday

 

Chicago Fire will clinch a playoff spot IF:
• Chicago loses to New England Saturday AND
 o D.C. United fails to win vs. Columbus AND
 o FC Dallas fails to win vs. Colorado AND EITHER
 o RSL loses to New York AND TOR fails to win vs. RSL OR
   - RSL and New York tie AND Toronto and RSL tie
 
Colorado Rapids will clinch a playoff spot IF:
• Colorado defeats FC Dallas Saturday AND
• RSL fails to win either of its two games this week

 

Colorado Rapids will clinch a playoff spot IF:
• Colorado ties FC Dallas AND

 o RSL fails to win vs. NY AND
 o D.C. United fails to win vs. Columbus AND
 o Toronto FC and RSL tie

 

New England Revolution will clinch playoff spot IF:
• New England defeats Chicago AND
 o D.C. United fails to win vs. Columbus AND 
 o FC Dallas fails to win vs. Colorado AND
 o RSL loses vs. New York AND
 o Toronto FC fails to win vs. RSL OR
   - RSL and New York tie AND Toronto and RSL tie

 

Seattle Sounders FC will clinch playoff spot IF:
 • Seattle defeats Kansas City

 

Seattle Sounders FC will clinch playoff spot IF:
 • Seattle ties Kansas City AND
  o D.C. United fails to win vs. Columbus AND
  o FC Dallas fails to win vs. Colorado AND EITHER:
    - RSL fails to win vs. New York Wednesday AND Toronto fails to win vs. RSL OR
    - Toronto and RSL tie on Saturday

 

Seattle Sounders FC will clinch playoff spot IF:
• Seattle loses to Kansas City AND
 o D.C. United fails to win vs. Columbus AND
 o FC Dallas fails to win vs. Colorado AND EITHER
 o RSL loses to New York AND TOR fails to win vs. RSL OR
   - RSL and New York tie AND Toronto and RSL tie

 

Kansas City Wizards will be eliminated from playoff contention with anything but a win, OR a New England win or tie vs. Chicago.

 

A win by New England will put four other teams in win-or-be-eliminated situations: D.C. United, FC Dallas, Toronto FC, and Real Salt Lake.
 
Columbus Crew will clinch the Supporters' Shield IF:

 • Columbus defeats D.C. United  AND
  o Chivas USA fails to win vs. San Jose

 

CURRENT PLAYOFF POSITIONS AS OF 10/12/09
(Rank, Team, Current Points, Remaining Games)
 
Eastern Conference:
1.  x - Columbus (49) [2]
2.  Chicago (41) [2]
3.  New England (38) [2]
---------------------------------------
4. D.C. United (36) [2]
5. Toronto FC (36) [2]
6. Kansas City (32) [2]
7.  z - New York (18) [2]
 
Western Conference:
1. x - Los Angeles (44) [2]*
2. x - Houston (44) [2]#
3. x - Chivas USA (44) [3]
4. Seattle (41) [2]
5. Colorado (40) [2]^
---------------------------------------
6. FC Dallas (36) [2]
7. Real Salt Lake (34) [3]
8. z - San Jose (29) [2]
 
Key:
Above dotted line = currently in playoff position
x: clinched playoff berth
y: clinched conference championship
z: eliminated from playoff contention

-Teams under the dotted lines are not currently in playoff position 
-Top 2 teams in each conference receive automatic berths in MLS Cup Playoffs
-Next 4 teams in points regardless of conference get wildcard berths in MLS Cup Playoffs

* LA holds three-way tie-breaker over Houston & Chivas USA (points per game).

 

# Houston holds tie-breaker over Chivas USA (head-to-head).

 

^ Colorado become the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference bracket. 

 

IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY
If the season ended today, the eight teams below would qualify for the playoffs. They are listed according to their would-be opponents. The first round is a two-game, aggregate goals playoff series.
 
Eastern Conference Semifinals
#1 Columbus Crew vs. #4 Colorado Rapids
#2 Chicago Fire vs. #3 New England Revolution
 
Western Conference Semifinals
#1 Los Angeles Galaxy vs. #4 Seattle Sounders FC
#2 Houston Dynamo vs. #3 Chivas USA

 

The Conference Championship is a one-game, winner take all match, played at the home stadium of the team with the better regular season record.
 
MLS CUP 2009
Sun., Nov. 22, 6:30pm MT (TV: ESPN & TeleFutura) at Qwest Field in Seattle, WA

 

QUALIFICATION AND SEEDING RULES
- Eight teams qualify for the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Playoff berths will be determined by points in the standings upon the completion of the regular season; all 15 teams will have played 30 games.
- The top two teams in each conference qualify and are seeded 1 & 2 in their respective four-team playoff conference brackets.
- The four MLS teams with the next most points, regardless of conference, receive "wildcard" berths.
- The four wildcard teams will be seeded according to conference first.
- If more than four teams qualify from one conference, the team finishing lower than fourth in its conference will shift over to the other conference bracket.
- A team switching conference brackets will be seeded below all other teams in its new conference playoff bracket.

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 14
New York at Real Salt Lake- 8:00

 

Saturday, October 17
Real Salt Lake at Toronto FC- 1:30
Chicago at New England- 4:00
Columbus at D.C. United- 6:00
Colorado at FC Dallas- 6:30
Seattle at Kansas City- 6:30
San Jose at Chivas USA- 8:30

 

Sunday, October 18
Los Angeles at Houston- 1:00

 

 

Saturday, October 10
Toronto FC 1 vs San Jose 1
Columbus 1 at New England 0
Chivas USA 2 vs Kansas City 0

 

Wednesday, October 7
FC Dallas 2 at San Jose 1

 

Sunday, October 4
Houston 1 vs Kansas City 1

 

Saturday, October 3
Seattle 1 at Columbus 0
Chivas USA 2 at D.C. United 0
Colorado 1 vs New England 1
San Jose 1 vs New York 0

 

PLAYOFF TICKETS
Ticket information and on-sale dates for potential Rapids playoff games will be announced soon; for questions regarding season tickets or for any of the remaining Rapids regular season home matches, please call the Rapids Ticket Hotline at (303) 825-GOAL.