Kickoff: What should we make of the win streak?

Seattle is winning again. Ari hosts a solo edition of Kickoff with Jackson Felts on vacation to break down what's behind the Sounders' turnaround, Albert Rusnák's season and what Seattle's recent form means going forward. New Kickoff every Monday.

October 5, 2026

Ari Liljenwall 1 min read

Seattle is winning again. But how much should we actually read into a three-game winning streak against some of the league's weakest opposition?

With Jackson on vacation, Ari goes solo to discuss whether the Sounders' turnaround might be more convincing than the schedule suggests – and if the improvement actually started well before the wins did. Then, we examine Albert Rusnák's remarkable run of form that's made him the MLS leader in primary assists, and what it says about his place in Seattle's attack.

Finally, it's on to New England. What would a result in a difficult cross-country road game tell us about this team's trajectory? Plus, why the emergence of Dejan Jovelic has added an entirely new dimension to Seattle's attack – and what type of boost he can provide once he gets back from international duty with Serbia.