The Crew ended any lingering doubts about their championship credentials with a world-class performance over fellow high-fliers New England. Sigi Schmid has done a magnificent job in rebuilding a squad that has struggled over the last few years, and barring any sudden drop in form, the Supporter's Shield should be heading to Columbus. Guillermo Barros-Schelotto's latest match-winning performance should ensure the MVP award ends up in Ohio, too.

Houston may have started the season poorly, but that is a distant memory for Dynamo fans as their side now sits seven points clear at the top of the west. The conference crown was all but wrapped up with an impressive win over K.C., with mid-season signings Nate Jaqua and Kei Kamara again impressing. Those two additions add quality to the squad and this side is now more than capable of again repeating as MLS champs. With the west being so weak, Houston can now afford to rest older players down the stretch and that could be key to a long run in the post-season.

Chicago picked up a vital win over New York and solidified its position in the top three in the east. With Blanco absent, Chicago again struggled to create too many clear-cut chances, but they were by far the better side in a tight game. But if this side is to make a run in the playoffs, they have to find a way to get better service for Brian McBride as the American International has been starved of quality crosses since his move back to MLS.

San Jose stretched its unbeaten run to eight with a battling win over D.C. last Saturday. Darren Huckerby continued his sensational start to his MLS career and Arturo Alvarez is showing the kind of form we all knew he was capable of delivering. The Earthquakes will now face a difficult couple of weeks as they face Houston twice. If they manage to break even in these games, then Frank Yallop can start making plans for the playoffs. That will be quite an achievement for a team that looked dead and buried just two months ago.

Normally a draw on the road would be a good result for RSL, but with L.A. playing without its stars, Jason Kreis will know that his side squandered two points. The news that Fabian Espindola will have an extended spell on the sidelines will be a blow for RSL who now need young Will Johnson to continue his impressive start to his MLS career. RSL now play three of their next four fixtures on the road, and with San Jose surging, I don't expect them to be in the west's top three for much longer.

What on earth has happened to the New England Revolution? A team that looked unbeatable just a couple of weeks ago fell to their second 4-0 loss in five days to continue their dismal form. Injuries to key players have played a part, but a grueling fixture list is also catching up with the players as they limp into the playoffs. Steve Nicol has enough experience to turn this around and get his side motoring again, but the bad run will mean a much more difficult path to MLS Cup glory.

Chivas USA picked up its second straight win over Toronto to hold on to third spot in the west as the playoff battle heats up. Injuries have really disrupted this side's form, but one of the silver linings may be that veteran Ante Razov may now be fresher for the end of season than he would have been had he played the entire year. Chivas may not have started the season well, but if they can continue their recent good form, then they should be a match for any team come playoff time.

If New York had beaten Chicago last week, they would have been tied for third spot in the Eastern Conference. They didn't and now the Red Bulls are in a real fight for the final two playoff spots. New York now plays three of their next four games at home and this period should see them solidify their position in the postseason, although they will probably have to face one of the league's best sides in the first round. Juan Carlos Osorio was supposed to make this side better, but matching Bruce Arena's first-round exit of last season can hardly be considered a success, can it?

D.C. may have won the U.S. Open Cup last week, but a disappointing loss to San Jose means that they are clinging on to one of the final playoff spots. United will also have to deal with the added distraction of the CONCACAF Champions League over the next few weeks, and unlike Houston, they don't have the luxury of resting players and keeping them fresh for the big games. Luciano Emilio has to return from injury because a D.C. side with Francis Doe up front won't scare too many opposing defenses.

It may not have been pretty, but Colorado's scrappy 1-0 win over Dallas has thrust the Rapids back into Western Conference playoff contention. The Rapids are a much stronger defensive team since the acquisition of Cory Gibbs and that was evident in the dogged defensive display at Dallas last week. If the Rapids can stay strong and compact at the back, then they have a fighting chance of a playoff spot, but ultimately a lack of goals will be Colorado's downfall.

Dallas saw its winless streak in MLS reach four games with a shocking home loss to lowly Colorado. The honeymoon period is officially over for Schellas Hyndman and with his side now tied for last place in the west, he is probably wishing he never left the comforts of college soccer. Dallas has obviously missed the defensive strength of Duilio Davino, but it is Kenny Cooper's dip in form that is most alarming for this team. With Arturo Alvarez flourishing in San Jose, you would also have the question the decision to let the talented youngster move on.

The shorthanded Galaxy showed great fighting spirit as they battled to a draw at home with RSL. It may not sound like a good result, but when you consider L.A. played without Beckham and Donovan, it has to be considered a point gained. L.A. may have dropped to the bottom of the Western Conference, but with Bruce Arena starting to stamp his authority and Donovan on form, I wouldn't completely write them off just yet. It would be nice of Mr. Beckham to pick up his form and help Landon out, too.

Last week's loss to Houston confirmed what we have known for a couple of weeks — Kansas City has no chance of making the playoffs. K.C. is winless in four games and looks like a team that knows they are fighting a losing battle to keep their season alive. Curt Onalfo is a good young coach, but he must show a ruthless streak when it comes to rebuilding this squad in the offseason because there is a lot of dead wood that needs to go. If Onalfo needs a role model, he should look at the turnaround that Sigi Schmid has instigated with Columbus over the last 12 months.

Toronto hit rock bottom with a horrible performance in their home loss to Chivas last weekend. The defeat means that Toronto has no realistic chance of making the playoffs and that has to mean that John Carver's position as head coach is under threat. Carver can point to injuries and international call-ups as a reason for his side's demise, but Toronto hasn't exactly played attractive soccer when everyone is fit either. This is a club that should be challenging for honors, and to make sure that happens next year, expect plenty of off-season activity in Canada.