Thanks to a crucial victory over Orlando City and stumbles from both D.C. United and the Philadelphia Union on Decision Day, the Five Stripes snuck into the playoffs at the final hour.

While Atlanta United aren't strangers to postseason success, this year's team is very much one in transition. They don't have a permanent manager and they have just one true Designated Player in Alexey Miranchuk, who's struggled desperately in his eight starts since dropping an "a" and moving from Atalanta to Atlanta in the summer window. He's in just the 21st percentile for non-penalty expected goals plus expected assisted goals per 90 minutes among MLS attacking midfielders and wingers, according to FBref.

With consistently poor decision-making from their new No. 10 and a lack of game-changers around him, Atlanta United's ceiling isn't high enough for them to lift MLS Cup.