Avoid the swoon, Loons, and jump all over Vancouver to get to postseason

La Velle's 3-2 Pitch: Three observations and two predictions on Sundays.

. . .

The Loons, in a spot they have no business being in, need a massive effort in their regular- season finale on Sunday at Allianz Field to ensure that they qualify for the MLS postseason.

They need a proper plan of attack. And I have such a plan.

Attack.

When the Loons are at their best, they are getting forward, moving the ball well and moving just as well without it. Emanuel Reynoso, when he's not drawing fouls from embarrassed and frustrated opponents, is making pinpoint passes that put his teammates in dangerous scoring positions.

Luis Amarilla is finishing some of those passes and being the No. 9 that coach Adrian Heath desperately needs. And Franco Fragapane is playing inspired football down the left flank.

"When we are on the front foot, everyone is pushing hard and the intensity is there," Loons midfielder Michael Boxall said. "If we do that, it gives us more [energy] to defend."

They could qualify for the playoffs if they draw with the Whitecaps. But they should be chagrined that the season comes down to the final regular-season game. They were a shoo-in a couple of months ago, when they scored at least two goals in seven consecutive matches, going 5-1-1 during that run.

After that, the Loons became the MLS version of the Twins.

The Twins led for most of the season before injuries, breakdowns in fundamentals and a proclivity to hand Emilio Pagan the ball in high-leverage situations enabled Cleveland and the White Sox to pass them in the Central Division. The Loons' swoon began with a 3-0 loss to Real Salt Lake on Aug. 31. Heath looked like he was working with a flock of imposters as Minnesota United was outscored 14-2 over a seven-game stretch, including a 2-0 loss on Saturday to San Jose. It was after that match that Heath sounded as if he didn't recognize the team he was coaching.

There has been enough time for the Loons to flush that match away. They need to show the Whitecaps they are the same team that went to BC Place in July and soundly beat them 3-1.

The Bears began the season with just 19 players left from last year's team, as new GM Ryan Poles activated a teardown. It will be evident when the Vikings offense takes the field and looks at a 3-4 Bears defense that lacks an effective nose tackle and is developing young defensive ends.

Linebacker Roquan Smith is a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine, but the unit's overall lack of quality should lead to a big rushing day for the Vikings. The Vikings' best rushing days so far have been Week 1, when they had 126 yards against Green Bay, and Week 3, when they accumulated 123 yards on the ground against the Lions. The Bears have allowed at least 175 rushing yards in three of their four games, including 262 yards last week against the Giants. The Vikings can rush for a season-high total Sunday against Chicago.

The Gophers women's hockey team opened play this weekend with two victories over Bemidji State. And they did so with unfinished business.

They went 29-9-1 last season but were upended at home by Minnesota Duluth in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It was a finish that no one has forgotten.

This season, the No. 2-ranked Gophers aren't just mad, they are even stronger.

"We've got Olympians back," Frost said. "We've got fifth-year [seniors] back. As do other teams within our league. But I think this team is ready to make a deep run here."

... AND TWO PREDICTIONS ...

Houston, with a deep starting rotation and dangerous hitters with postseason experience, will win the American League pennant. They again will face the Atlanta Braves, with one of the best offenses in baseball, in the World Series.