Rankings this week’s MLS games:
Game of the week
Portland (5-2-1) at Dallas (4-0-2), 8 p.m. Saturday, MLS Live: This game should be fantastic. There's no chance Dallas will go unbeaten, but I'm sure a win here will start the talk.
Games to DVR to watch again
Houston (4-2-1) at Toronto (2-1-4), 7:30 p.m. Friday, TSN4: As poor as Houston's defense is, Sebastian Giovinco could go bananas in this game. The same could be sad for Erick Torres against Toronto.
Chicago (3-2-2) at N.Y. Red Bulls (4-3-1), 7:30 p.m. Saturday, MLS Live: Chicago's midfield was overrun last week by Toronto, which isn't a good sign this week facing Red Bulls and its revamped midfield formation. Dax McCarty will face the team that shockingly traded him before the season.
D.C. United (2-3-2) at Atlanta United (3-2-2), 3 p.m. Sunday, FS1: The Five Stripes haven't played at home in more than a month and took five points from its previous four road games. This could get ugly quickly.
Games to go to the watering hole to watch
NYCFC (3-3-1) at Columbus (4-3-1), 7:30 p.m. Saturday, MLS Live: So much will depend on if Andrea Pirlo and Federico Higuain start for their respective teams. They aren't quick. They are defensive liabilities. But they are still capable of bits of magic. This could be an offensive shootout.
New England (2-3-3) at Seattle (2-2-3), 10 p.m. Saturday, MLS Live: It's hard to tell if Seattle is truly as good as it looked in the first half of last week's win against L.A. Galaxy because that team is playing so poorly this season.
Games to set up score alerts on your phone so you don’t have to pay close attention
Colorado (1-4-1) at Orlando (5-1-0), 3:55 p.m. Saturday, UniMas: Orlando is the biggest surprise this season. That good vibes should continue against a Colorado team that is just …not good.
Real Salt Lake (2-4-2) at Sporting KC (3-1-3), 8:30 p.m. Saturday, MLS Live: Real Salt Lake had moments to make last week's game against Atlanta United more interesting. It's doubtful that Sporting KC will give Real Salt Lake as many chances.
Games that only those who play fantasy will care about
Vancouver (2-4-1) at Montreal (1-2-4), 3 p.m. Saturday, CTV: The Impact deserve a lot of credit from fighting back from 3-0 to tie Philadelphia 3-3 last week. How much longer can they walk that tightrope?
San Jose (2-3-3) at Minnesota United (2-4-2), 8 p.m. Saturday, MLS Live: The Loons posted their first shutout last week. It could make it two consecutive this week against a San Jose team that is 0-3-1 away from home.
Philadelphia (0-4-3) at L.A. Galaxy (2-5-0), 10:30 p.m. Saturday, MLS Live: A matchup of the two biggest disappointments in the league.
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