Let's start with the beginning of September for Philly, shall we?
9/1 Draw 2-2 @ ORL - Not exactly a league powerhouse
9/16 Loss 4-1 @ home to MTL. - 4-1 at home?
9/19 Won 1-0 @ Seattle - went cross country on 3 days rest and beat a very good team at a hard place to play. Well done.
9/23 Won 2-0 @ home to SKC. Beat the top team in the West. It was at home, but still a good result.
I think after these 2 results is when the pundits (and some people on the forums) started to wax poetic about Philly.
9/26 Loss 3-1 @ HOU. Again, a blowout to a MLS minnow.
9/29 Draw 0-0 @ CLB. Fighting for a playoff spot, they got a tough away point.
10/6 Won 5-1 @ home to MIN. Who doesn't beat Minnesota at home?
10/21 Loss 1-0 @ home to NJ. Then needed points at home to have a chance at the 3 seed. They blew it.
10/28 Loss 3-1 @ NYC. We'd been struggling to find our form, just got our butts handed to us in DC, and starting a MF who'd been out for months with what was assumed a season ending injury. We chased them out of the building in the first 15 minutes.
So, 4 out of their last 15 possible points in the past month (.8 ppg). 11 of their last 27 in the last 2 months (1.22 ppg).
Now please tell me how this is "one of the hottest teams in the league to end the season"?