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The New England Revolution have three games left to play in the regular season.
Yes, just three.
With the playoffs looming, I'm sure you're taking a daily peak at the standings as you try to forecast where the Revs will land. With this in mind, the "experts" at The Bent Musket have decided to dust off the crystal ball and make predictions of their own.
Seth: Second
With first place all but officially going to the New York Red Bulls, the Revs must grab second in order to avoid the dreaded play-in game. Fortunately for the Revs, this is a doable task as they have one of the easier schedules to end the season. Trips to the Chicago Fire and New York City FC, both bottom-dwelling teams, sandwich a home date with the Montreal Impact. Though the Revs were recently downed 3-0 by the Impact, it's hard to imagine a second consecutive loss to them, especially at home. Compare that schedule to Crew SC's slate of Red Bulls, TFC, and D.C. United and it's makes sense that the Revs will finish in second.
Jake: Second
The Eastern Conference title was likely always out of reach with the New York Red Bulls having games in hand and the Revs stumbles the last two weeks and against the Philadelphia Union at home in particular. The Revs face the easiest schedule of all the East contenders with the Red Bulls having games Columbus, Montreal and Toronto still left. Columbus has games agianst Red Bulls, Toronto and free-falling DC United so there's a chance that the rest of the East will continue to beat themselves up and for the Revs to hold on to second place. A win at home in two weeks against the Impact could be the decider as Didier Drogba has Montreal surging up the standings. All the Revs can do is win out, taking nine total points from their final three games and maintain their slim goal-difference advantage over Columbus
Jon: Third
The Revs are certainly dying to finish second and avoid the first round, but those two slots will fall to the Red Bulls and the Crew. The former is the undisputed leader of the East and the latter's combination of Ethan Finlay and Kei Kamara is just too lethal in front of goal. Also, the Revs schedule isn't all that difficult down the stretch (Chicago away, Montreal at home, NYCFC away), but one would have to think some speed bumps will arise from those matches. There are points to be dropped there, which will cause the Revs to finish third and encounter the dreaded first round game.