2017 Crew SC 4caster: Game 31

scha·den·freu·de: pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.

DC United is out of the playoffs. They are terrible, and always will be. Ok, important stuff out of the way.

Playoff Clinching Scenarios for This Weekend: Chill on That

Crew should win at home vs DC in the first place, but for Montreal or New England to make the playoffs ahead of The Crew it would take the most massive team bed-shitting since one team missed two PKs in the same game... in the playoffs... on my birthday. So don't worry about playoff clinching scenarios.

Enhanced Standings

While DC is out, NYCFC, Atlanta and Chicago are now in the playoffs. But you knew that. This year it's not going to be a race to see who's in the playoffs, but there will be a fight for the 2-3-4 spots. JOSTLIN'!

4casted Final Standings, MLS Cup Hosting

It may only take 46 points to qualify for the playoffs, but to host the KO round Crew SC might need to win their final three games. Even two wins and a tie wouldn't guarantee 4th place. 7 of their possible final 9 points would, however, put them in great shape to host MLS Cup. 

For the wild optimist, a scenario still exists in which Crew SC can finish in 2nd place in the East. For now, 5th place looks most likely.

2017 Crew SC 4caster: Game 30

I'm back, yo. If you were fronting, please cease doing so. While I may have recently taken your sage advice in deleting my (Twitter) account, that doesn't mean I'm wack.

Enhanced Standings

First, my 4casted final standings (red stuff). This week I have Crew SC in 6th. One solitary point separates 3rd from 6th. Montreal has crept back into the picture, but might need 12 points in its final five games.

Next is the one sorted by max points (shown in gray). This takes unplayed games into account, assuming that each team wins all remaining games.

Last is the one sorted by current points (regular standings). This will be somewhat misleading until October 7th, when everyone will have played 32 games.

4casted Final Standings, Elimination/Clinch Dates & MLS Cup Hosting

Look at 3-4-5. Nuts, eh? Decided by goal differential. This also means that per usual, looks like 50 points are needed to make the playoffs. 53 will get you home field advantage in the knockout round. But we probably won't know anything for sure until 10/15.

Finally, MLS Cup hosting watch is officially on.