MLS Power Rankings: Messi returns for Miami with a bang, Galaxy own the West with El Trafico win, Rapids continue climbing

Officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 2-0 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Looking ahead to a next year, once again.

St. Louis had their spirits crushed in front of their home fans, conceding three unanswered to lose to MNUFC 3-1. Without a permanent head coach, they've flatlined. Playoffs are a fever dream for this group.

The Revs were pummeled into the ground by Orlando City at the weekend, being shutout 3-0 on the road. It was a rude wakeup call for Caleb Porter's side, who are nearly facing playoff elimination now.

Bottom of the East, six points out of a play-in game. It's not going well.

BJ Callaghan got his first win as Nashville's coach but the playoffs are still out of grasp for this club. Yet, a win on the road against Atlanta is nothing to glance over. Job well done.

They've been a disaster of late, but Saturday was a glimpse at what they could be under manager Laurent Courtois. A goal and an assist from Caden Clark sparked them to an impressive 2-1 home victory over Charlotte FC.

Outside of another trip to the U.S. Open Cup final, nothing appears to be going right for Peter Vermes' side.

Shutout on the road by Seattle 2-0 in a flat performance, and it felt like the nail in the coffin for their season.

They're 11 points out of a playoff spot with just six games remaining.

What an impressive win. It's a phrase not often said this season, but Chicago were fantastic in their 2-1 victory over the Red Bulls.

The playoffs still feel like a fever dream for Frank Klopas' side, but they're just four-points out of a play-in game at the moment.

Christian Benteke, what a story. The Golden Boot leader as things stand with 19 goals, he bagged a penalty in a 1-1 draw with NYCFC over the weekend to earn them a crucial point.

D.C. aren't in a comfortable position at the moment, but they're fighting for their playoff lives, which means they're a team to watch as we close the season down.

Oh no...

That's really all there is to say. Atlanta handed Nashville their first regular season victory since June 22 in a 2-0 defeat in front of their home fans.

The Five Stripes still don't have a coach, either, by the way.

Did not play this weekend, so status quo.

The Union were the latest victims of Lionel Messi, well, Lionel Messi-ing at the weekend. Don't read into it a ton.

Tai Baribo is scoring a lot of goals, with seven in 15 games, and the Union look competitive. How they finish the season will be their true test of character.

Manager Josh Wolff is on the hottest of hot seats at the moment. Austin are playing lifeless with little to no inspiration at the moment. A 2-1 loss to a fellow struggling team in Toronto doesn't help.

They're five points outside the playoffs, and it feels like a mountain to climb for them.

Great result over Austin FC, and a much needed three points in a 2-1 victory in front of their home fans.

TFC are up to eighth in the East, and just two points out of a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.

CLTFC are in a frustrating run of form at the moment, winless in three since the Leagues Cup, and a rough 2-1 loss on the road in Canada to Montreal capping it off at the weekend.

They've fallen to seventh in the East, and now need to fight just to hold onto their postseason spot.

It's Bongi's world, and we're just living it (really, we're playing this record on repeat).

The Loons South African sensation, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, net yet another goal as the Loons stormed St. Louis in a 3-1 victory. He now has 10 goals and four assists in 26 appearances. And United have tied a club record for the most away wins (six) - and away points (20 points) - in their eight-year MLS tenure over the weekend.

Eric Ramsay's side are figuring it out, but their summer slump appears to be over and they're one to watch as the season comes to a close.

A 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire is a bad, bad result. The Red Bulls are not playing well at the moment.

A brilliant Spring that they were able to afford five or six bad results along the way this summer into fall. However, they're out of excuses now.

They hold just a three-point lead over fifth place Orlando in the race for top-four and a home playoff game.

They need to figure it out.

Orlando have crept up on everybody in the East. They're up to fifth in the conference standings, and three points out of a home playoff game at the moment. Duncan McGuire is up to eight goals this season, while Facundo Torres' hot form has them surging up the table, with 11 goals and five assists to his name.

A really good win over Sporting KC. Up to fifth in the West and overall, on the rise. Jordan Morris is having a sensational season, with 11 goals and three assists in MLS. If he can continue to perform at this level, they could continue climbing.

NYCFC aren't playing good, but they're not playing bad, either. They're currently coasting, and it's at a stage in the season where they can probably afford to. They drew 1-1 with D.C. United last Saturday.

However, if they want that top-four spot in the East, they're going to need to start turning out some results.

Their last league win was July 3 and in seven matches since, they've drawn five and lost two.

RSL are not themselves right now.

They fell to the Dynamo 4-1 at the weekend, but since the Leagues Cup, they've earned just three out of a possible nine points. Their attack is slow, their defense isn't playing cohesive and overall? They just don't look confident. If they want to hold onto a top-four spot, they need to figure it out.

A tough result against a good Rapids side at the weekend, but it shouldn't hurt the Timbers too much. Phil Neville has them competing for a home playoff game in the West, and based off the first half of their season, you cannot complain with that.

Since the Leagues Cup ended, the Dynamo went unbeaten against LAFC with a win and draw. This weekend, they absolutely thumped Real Salt Lake into the ground, defeating them 4-1.

That's two Western Conference title contenders, and they've bested them both.

Houston has come out of nowhere in the race for a home playoff spot in the West, but they're flying at the moment.

Vanni Sartini, coach of the year candidate?! He has to be on the ballot at least.

The Whitecaps are the least talked about, really good, team in MLS, and they showed it against the San Jose Earthquakes in a dominant 2-0 victory.

They're up to sixth in the West and trail second-place LAFC by just three points, while also having two games in-hand. They are a team to watch in the final stretch.

LAFC are in a post-Leagues Cup slump. They're winless in three matches since they returned from the competition, and now, they've been handed their latest by their Los Angeles rivals.

It's not time for fans to worry, but it feels like the top overall seed in the West has slipped from their grasp, even with two games in-hand.

If LAFC continue to struggle, it could raise some interesting questions of the side.

What a run Chris Armas' side is on at the moment. Matchday 32 was a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a surging Timbers side. They're up to third in the West, and now trail LAFC by just one point.

One of the must-watch teams in the league at the moment.

FCC manager Pat Noonan is likely the happier manager of the two between him and Crew manager Wilfried Nancy after their scoreless Hell is Real derby. In their two regular season meetings this season, they earned three points and a draw against their rivals. Have to be content with that.

A small fall from second to third in the Power Rankings, the Crew plateaued against FC Cincinnati in the Hell is Real derby at the weekend. Scoreless, there wasn't much to take away. They're third in the West, but hold a game in-hand while trailing FCC by just two points.

Marco Reus and Riqui Puig is a combo to watch, but of late, the ex-Barcelona man is cooking in MLS. The midfielder had two assists and a goal as the Galaxy defeated LAFC in El Trafico saw them secure their spot atop the West. They now hold a seven-point lead over their crosstown rivals in the West as the gap between first and second grows.

It's nice to have the world's greatest player coming back to your roster, eh? Three goal-contributions from Messi led Miami to yet another victory. Brilliant performance as the Supporters' Shield is nearly within grasp.