The Colorado Rapids playoff seeding scenarios ahead of MLS Decision Day

On this decision day, the Rapids need a result.

Not for a playoff spot – that has already been claimed for the first time since 2021. Not for home advantage in the first round – it was within their reach but was missed in just five games.

The Rapids need a result to prove to themselves that they are who they think they are.

When the 2024 MLS season ends, Colorado will no longer be remembered for losing four of five games and slipping in the standings. For now, the Rapids need to be reminded that they are still the same team that finished third in the Western Conference in mid-September, just a few weeks after finishing third in the Leagues Cup.

Before it really counts, they have one last chance to get back in action at Austin FC this Saturday at 7 p.m. There are a variety of scenarios for the Rapids to be promoted or relegated in the table by the end of the decision day. However, they cannot advance above fifth or below seventh position, meaning they have neither home advantage nor a wild card game.

Colorado finishes fifth with:

• Win at Austin AND
• Houston Dynamo lose or draw against LA Galaxy

OR

• Draw in Austin AND
• Houston loss to LA Galaxy AND
• Minnesota United loses or draws against St. Louis

Colorado finishes sixth with:

• Win at Austin AND
• Houston wins against LA

OR

• Draw in Austin AND
• Houston wins or draws against LA UND
• Minnesota wins against St. Louis

OR

• Draw in Austin AND
• Houston loss to LA UND
• Minnesota wins against St. Louis

OR

• Loss at Austin AND
• Minnesota draw or lose against St. Louis

Colorado finishes seventh with:

• Draw in Austin AND
• Houston wins or draws against LA UND
• Minnesota wins against St. Louis

OR

• Loss at Austin AND
• Minnesota wins against St. Louis

For Rapids coach Chris Armas, the final regular season game of his Rocky Mountain High’s inaugural season isn’t just about getting back on track.

He takes no solace in the fact that there is no path to a Wild Card spot or the fact that his opponent is the playoff-absent and interim coach-led Austin. He will just have fun collecting the points on the table.

For the Rapids, the Austin game is a launching pad.

“For me the most important thing is to use this game as a passage. We’re not going to talk about playoffs before this game,” Armas said. “We are on the way to getting a result because we want to push ourselves as far as possible before the playoffs. The game is important, but the most important thing is that we show growth and show that we are doing better than we have been in recent games. …

“Whatever it takes, we have to get a result.”

In some ways, expectation does not reflect preparation, at least from a mental perspective. According to striker Rafael Navarro, who is on his second-longest goal drought this season (zero goals in five games), Armas has made a point of making the training environment “easy.”