David is out gallivanting around the Hamptons, so Ben Baer joins Andrew and Matt to take a critical look at both conferences as the playoff races distill and the red line becomes the primary focus for all 20 teams in MLS. First up, the West, where Seattle and new Designated Player Nicolas Lodeiro are proving they’ve got plenty left in the tank. Dallas still sit top of the table, but could they benefit from a (late) #fakeMLStrade? Plus, who’s fighting to stay alive and why isn’t Matt high on LA’s current form?

Turning to the every-man-for-himself Easter Conference, the race is about as clear as mud. The Red Bulls and Sacha Kljestan are making up ground after that dire start, but New York City FC continues to score (and concede) in droves to somehow sit above the likes of resurgent Toronto FC. Which team is the favorite the rest of the way? Well, it’s … uh … you know, if … right, but … fine, we have no idea.

In the mailbag, David takes a break from vacation to explain how the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) experiment went in USL play on Friday. Reviews are positive.