The Revs met Real Salt Lake last evening at Gillette after just returning from an important win in Seattle on Thursday. The Thursday game was carried on ESPN and was played in front of easily the best home field crowd in MSL. The win on Thursday began a return to play for the Revs after an eleven day break. After the break and before Thursday’s game, the Revs where out of the playoffs as far as the table was concerned, but had three games-in-hand on most of those atop of the leader board. So, Thursdays game was the first game to see if any of these games-in-hand would amount to anything. Wins counts, draws get you a point and a loss leaves you right where you are in the table. A game-in-hand doesn’t count for anything. The Revs would have to admit at least to themselves that a draw out of Seattle, the league’s feel good team, in front of an ESPN audience, 3000 miles from home, would have been acceptable. But, screw the feel good story, the Revs had none of it and fought for a 1-0 result. Very nice win to get in those circumstances. Had to feel good. Now, they did one good thing. It didn’t mean they are the team to beat. Thursdays win might have giving you a peek at the playoff cookie jar, but what happens next? Like in most sports, the character of the team will be tested and judged by what happens after a big win or loss for that matter. Did we deserve it? Was it just our night? Do we belong in a championship chase? Anyone can have the stars align on occasion. That doesn’t mean the team is necessarily playing good soccer. That brings us to Sunday’s game. A sound 3-1 spanking of RSL. Perfect. Doubling down on 11 and drawing a face card. Sweetening the deal is that Ralston got some rest along with the Gambian dragsters, though Mansally came in late. Not that after 11 days more rest is needed. But, take it anyways. In further good news, Castro is back on the scene. He laid in some of the nicest curves I’ve seen around the Revs in a while. He’s been hurt most of the year and Mansally seems to have a pretty good grip on the left side but hold on a second. I like the service that Castro brings to the game. If he’s going to be healthy it will be hard to keep him out of the line up. So, who goes? Different discussion. For today its all good. Extra healthy bodies is something all teams would want. Sharie Joseph looks himself after the break to add to the coom-ba-ya’s. Now the Revs go through a stretch were they will make up the games-in-hand. The competition is a little soft over the next bit as well- Kansas then San Jose. This is the new challenge. They have passed the difficult road game win, the post big win composure game win and now they have to stay focused and win against the bottom half of the league. If they are capable of beating the beatable, they will be very much in the playoff picture.