Rapids Try To Clinch A Playoff Berth in Portland

 

Yep,  while everyone is running electoral math (yeah, going to be a long week) I've run the playoff math.  With a draw tomorrow, or the Galaxy not beating Seattle tomorrow night, the Rapids clinch a playoff spot.  2020 feels like 4 years long and combined with the 3 years prior it feels like forever since we've seen the playoffs but by this time tomorrow night we may be celebrating our spot.  Portland is battling a large injury list so a draw is certainly not off the table, though its a uphill battle.  Kickoff tomorrow is at 8pm (LA kicks off an hour after us).

The starting lineup is going to be tricky.  There's a couple of questions, how many games can guys like Vines, Rosenberry, Namli, etc. play in a row without a break?  Also Price and Abubakar are one yellow from suspension.  If they got that yellow tomorrow night they would not be able to play in a critical (and probably more winnable) game on Sunday.  If they got a card on Sunday instead they would be suspended for the first game of 2021 (not the first playoff game).

So that leaves a lot of questions for tomorrow night.  Do you kind of write the game off, give a bunch a people a rest, and make sure you're at full strength?  Or do you focus on what's in front of you tomorrow and deal with Sunday on Sunday?  I think you can't rest Price and Abubakar just to avoid a yellow card.  You put the best XI out there you can without risking long-term injury or exhaustion to anyone.  If somebody needs a game off, give it to them, but otherwise get the win, or at least the point, tomorrow night and leave no doubt.  Also if the Rapids win both remaining games they'll finish in a position where they would have qualified for the playoffs even if the league hadn't changed to PPG, which wills hut some whiners up.

Prediction: 1-1 draw, goal by Bassett.  Portland has slightly better offenses and defenses but not by much and they're injured.  Plus while they would love to strengthen their hold on first place that doesn't have quite the same urgency as the Rapids will have trying to clinch their first playoff spot in 4 years.  I think that's enough for the teams to battle to a draw.  Worst case, if the Rapids lose, I think the Sounders get a result in LA anyway and we still clinch tomorrow night.