If you haven’t been paying attention recently, the idea that the San Jose Earthquakes are approaching playoff positioning may come as a surprise to you. After a series of poor results left them in the cellar of the Western Conference standings, many people saw it as a foregone conclusion that the team's run would end along with the regular season in early November.
But back-to-back wins over Los Angeles Football Club and the LA Galaxy have breathed new life into a San Jose side that has shown to be resilient, especially in moments of uncertainty.
The six points from the last two matches have helped the Earthquakes jump from 12th place to ninth, and they now find themselves just one point below the eighth and final playoff spot with eight games to play.