The Colorado Rapids have finally returned to play following a month away as the team dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak, but returning only three weeks before the end of the season meant the Rapids would not be able to play the 23 regular season games most others would. On Thursday, MLS decided points per game would decide the final standings, which Rapids head coach Robin Fraser approved of.
"I think it's great because we haven't played as many games as everyone else, so it seems like an equitable way to go about it," Fraser said ahead of his team's Saturday match against the Seattle Sounders (9 pm ET | TV & streaming info). His team have lost both of their games since returning to the field dropping from 1.46 points per game to 1.27. They currently sit in 8th place, above the playoff line, holding a slight lead over Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
The Rapids will finish the season with 18 games, five fewer than many of the other teams in the league. A few other teams in the league will also finish with less than 23 games — the Sounders, FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, LAFC, Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United will each finish with 22 games after one of each of their matches was canceled because of positive COVID-19 test results.
While Fraser is happy with the rule change, he admitted it does little to change the Rapids' perspective with three games to go and the team currently occupying the last playoff spot in the West.
"Our first thought is: What do we need to do to get into playoffs?," Fraser said. "Bottom line is, we just need to get points, so while the announcement gives us a clear vision as to how things are going to go and what we might need to do, at the end of the day, the message for us doesn't change. We need to get points."
