MLS Power Rankings, Week 11: Get Your Points In Now

Week 11 of the Major League Soccer season saw a few blowouts, a few key draws, and a couple surprise victories by teams at or near the bottom of the standings.  The most surprising victories were probably Orlando destroying the Galaxy 4-0 and Montreal pummeling RSL 4-1.  Meanwhile, while the top of the pack remained relatively unscathed, the middle of the MLS standings contain a ton of teams who don't seem to know what they need to do to separate themselves from the rest.

The season is quite long, leaving many chances for teams to make runs.  Teams like Houston are starting to do that now.  However, the one time that previous years have proven to be increasingly difficult to make gains in the standings is the summertime.  With a loaded MLS schedule in June for some (including the U.S. Open Cup), coupled by a July filled with confederation tournaments and friendlies with international club teams, it's easy for teams to wilt under the summer heat.  Teams will be short-handed and may have several players who leave on international duty.  The Black-and-Red are currently in a stretch where they will have 8 games in under a month.  It would be great to stuff the scoreboard with points before the summer hits a slowdown and we potentially lose players like Bill Hamid or Perry Kitchen to international duty.  That should be their mentality over the next couple weeks, as it should be for the teams further down the table.

Now, to the rankings.  Even though they suffered a loss in stoppage time at the hands of the Union, our beloved D.C. United keeps the top spot this week.  The top 8 teams remain relatively the same, while the rest of the rankings sees some shuffling.  What are your thoughts on this week's rankings?  Does United deserve to hang onto the top spot?  Which teams in the middle of the pack do you see making a rise?  You know the drill...sound off in the comments below.