For sports fans, October is the best month on the calendar. The NHL season just got underway, the NBA is wrapping up their preseason, the NFL season is reaching its midpoint and the MLB playoffs are nearing their conclusion. It’s a perfect excuse to look at how Texas teams have handled or will handle their 2019 seasons.

NBA

The Houston Rockets have a chance to be the class of the Western Conference this season. After losing to the Warriors in the Western Conference Semifinals, the disappointed Rockets reloaded with vengeance by adding another MVP winner to play beside James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Expect big things out of Houston.

Despite finishing last season out of the playoffs with a losing record, the Dallas Mavericks have plenty to be excited about. Last season, 19-year-old sensation Luka Dončić led the team in points, assists and averaging more than 21 points a game. Add in Kristaps Porziņģis and you have a team that may surprise people this season.

San Antonio sort of limped into its new era without the classic trio of Manu, Parker and Duncun. The Spurs made the playoffs, but were bounced early in the first round by the Denver Nuggets. Greg Popovich is still a top tier coach in the league and the new crew in SA seem ready to carry the load. LaMarcus Aldridge will again lead the team in most states, and rookie Luka Šamanić will be nasty in the paint. 

NFL

Everything is going according to plan for the Houston Texans. They are currently 4-3 and coming off of a huge win against the Chiefs. The offensive line is clicking and Deshaun Watson is being kept off the ground, allowing him to do what he does best: make plays. The Texans are playing their best football right now and have a great case to be the best team in the AFC.

Nothing is going according to plan for the Dallas Cowboys. After starting 3-0, the hype was real for Dak Prescott. After a tough loss to the Saints and a near comeback against the Packers, the Cowboys suffered a demoralizing loss to the then winless Jets. Now, sitting at 4-3, Dallas is using their big 37-10 division win against the Eagles as fuel for the rest of the season. The Cowboys need to enter their bye week with a winning record if they want any chance to be in the playoffs. 

NHL

The poor, poor Dallas Stars. Currently sitting at 1-6-1 on the season, the Stars look to be failing to live up to the success of last year’s playoff team. Where defense used to be a specialty, it is now a liability. While the season is still young, the Stars already look like a bust. 

MLB

The Texas Rangers started off strong but fell apart as the season progressed, finishing with a record just below .500. Mike Minor was far and away the brightest spot on the roster, leading the team with a 7.8 WAR. In order to improve, the Rangers simply need to hit better. The best batting average on their team was .283. Get those numbers up and the wins will roll in more often.

There isn’t much to say about the Houston Astros that hasn’t been said already. The ‘Stros set the franchise record in wins for the third consecutive season and are currently playing to secure their second World Series title in three seasons. The Astros have plenty of stars to play around for the foreseeable future.