Portland Timbers 2013: Expectations On the Rise?

A few months ago, during the MLS preseason, the Portland Timbers were widely thought to have a better season than in 2012, but nothing much beyond that. It was considered to be a rebuilding season. A season where new players were brought in, tested, and then traded away for others to try their hand at it. These things rarely go smoothly... just look at Toronto FC.

But something odd happened. After the first few games of the season, you could see this Timbers' squad clicking. They were fighting, They were possessing the ball from end to end. They didn't give up in the 75th minute. And, to add the cherry on top, they were winning. We are now 13 games into the season, and the Timbers have recorded an impressive performance from the beginning of the season. Which leads me to my title question: are expectations for the 2013 Timbers on the rise?

You can feel the positivity in the air at Timbers home games. You can hear the words coming from Caleb Porter about this team. No longer, it seems, is merely making a run for the playoffs enough for this team. And with the way they've been playing recently, should it be? Few teams that run this kind of record in the beginning of the season are riding a fluke, as the team did in 2011. This Timbers' squad certainly is not.

I don't create expectations, however, that's the job of the fans.

So tell us, are the are you expecting the Timbers to go further than the playoffs in 2013? What's the limit for this team?