Ye Olde MLS Playoff Picture and Predictions

Saturday was an awesome day to be an MLS fan. I spent the day on the couch watching games with major playoff implications and I was quite impressed. The two main games that I caught were RSL-Colorado and Seattle-Dallas. Each of these games was action packed, and the level of soccer and the intensity that MLS teams play with were on display. A legit offensive outburst from RSL helped them lock up a playoff spot, and the multinational front four of Seattle combined to score a gorgeous goal that sent FC Dallas packing. That left us with the MLS playoff picture as follows.
EAST
(1) Columbus Crew vs. (4) Real Salt Lake
(2) Chicago Fire vs. (3) New England Revolution
WEST
(1) Los Angeles Galaxy vs. (4) Chivas USA
(2) Houston Dynamo vs. (3) Seattle Sounders
I see Columbus knocking off the RSL last minute rally squad, and Chicago taking care of New England as well. This then pits the stellar crew vs the relatively inconsistent Fire, where the Crew shall emerge to head to Seattle for a shot at snapping off back to back MLS cups. On the West side, Chivas USA takes the only one city two team playoff series, as the Gals falter and the Goats continue to fire on all cylinders, and Houston ensures that it does not embarrass itself like it did last year by taking it to the Sounders. The Dynamo then continue a season that has seen them emerge as one of the most potent teams in the league as they thump Chivas, and square off with the Crew in a battle of the two most dynamic teams in the league in the final.
The final will be epic for two reasons, one because it will be a great matchup between two classy sides, and second because I will be in the Emerald City for the final, hopefully providing both video updates along the way and catching my first ever MLS Cup. Catching this cup with me will be the Dynamo, as a 3-2 victory ensure them a return to the trophy stand and a Cup to match a great season.

Crew over RSL
Revolution over the Fire
--Crew over Revolution 1-0
Galaxy over Chivas
Dynamo over Sounders
--Dynamo over Galaxy 2-1
Dynamo win it.