It wasn’t long ago, about nine games in fact, when the goal for the season was shaping up to be: “sneak into the playoffs, and then make a run at the cup.” We were good on paper, great on paper. But just didn’t seem able to put all the pieces together. Then on June 28th, we found ourselves down 0-1 in 16th minute. Against Chivas. In Seattle. We were losing to the worst team in the league, at home. That’s rock bottom. At least you hope.

Then we came back and won 2-1. Then we #DempseyWatch’d. Then we signed him. For real, we signed Clint Dempsey. Then we won, again and again and again. Eight games out of nine. 24 points out of 27. Despite playing a man down for an entire game. Despite losing 81% of our payroll to national team duty and injury. Despite plenty of excuses to lose, we won. And after last night’s clinical dismantling of RSL, we’re top of the table.

It’s easy to blow last night’s game out of proportion. But the truth is that it was the biggest regular season MLS win in franchise history. And we did it without Dempsey or Eddie for the first hour. We did it with an uncharacteristically beautiful cross from Rose. And a long-overdue assist from Yedlin. The win put us first in the league, with games in hand and with complete control over our destiny. The Supporter’s Shield is ours to lose.

The stakes our high now though. Sneaking into the playoffs and making a run is no longer an acceptable goal. The goal needs to be to win. To win everything. The Supporter’s Shield, the Cascadia Cup, and the MLS Cup. Take ‘em all.

There are seven games to go. A lot can change in seven games, if this season has taught us anything it’s that. Sports are cruel, and hopes can be crushed in the blink of an eye. But this Sounders team is good. Scary good. And as Alan Hinton says, “good teams find ways to win”.