The Eastern Conference appears to be the superior conference inside Major League Soccer as the league shifts from Phase 1 to Phase 2.
Columbus, Philadelphia and Toronto FC are ranked first through third in the Supporters' Shield standings, and they are the only MLS clubs with 1.9 points per game or more through 11 games.
If you go further down the overall league table, the East boasts four of the top five teams and six of the top nine.
The expected contenders in the Western Conference have taken points from each other throughout the six-game Phase 1, which has left the Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles FC and Portland Timbers in a group from second to sixth in the West.