The Houston Texans, led by J.J. Watt, was the NFL’s most improved team in 2014

Here’s three stats from the just-completed NFL regular season that you may find interesting.

* For the first time in NFL history, three teams finished the regular season with less than 15 turnovers. Green and New England each had only 13 turnovers this season, while the Seattle Seahawks had only 14. Each of these three teams also finished the season with 12 wins each.

Prior to this season, there had been 14 teams that had 15 or fewer turnovers in a season. The 2010 Patriots and the 2011 49ers each had only 10 turnovers in a season, best in NFL history.

Here’s a look at the NFL teams with 15 or fewer turnovers in a season.

10: New England, 2010; San Francisco, 2011
13: Miami, 2008; New York Giants, 2008; Green Bay, 2014; New England, 2014
14: New York Giants, 1990; Kansas City, 2010; Green Bay, 2011; Washington, 2012; Indianapolis, 2013; Seattle, 2014
15: Dallas, 1998; Jacksonville, 2002; Kansas City, 2002; San Diego, 2006; New England, 2007

* The Houston Texans were the most improved team in the NFL this season. The Texans went from two wins in 2013 to nine victories this season, an increase of seven victories. The biggest drop was a tie between Tennessee and Carolina; both dropped five wins from 2013 to 2014. Ironically, the Panthers still made it to the playoffs despite their five-win drop this season.

Here’s a look at the teams with the biggest gains (and drops) in wins for 2014.

Biggest Gain
+7: Houston
+4: Dallas, Detroit, Green Bay
+3: Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh

Biggest Drop
-5: Carolina, Tennessee
-4: New Orleans, New York Jets, San Francisco
-3: Chicago

* For the fourth time since 1996, the Kansas City Chiefs had a winning record yet failed to make the playoffs. The Chiefs were one of five teams this season to have a winning record (nine or more wins) yet did not make the playoffs. Buffalo, Houston, Kansas City and San Diego each had nine wins in the AFC but did not make the playoffs; the Philadelphia Eagles had 10 wins in the NFC, but it wasn’t enough to make the post-season.

Here are the teams with the most winning seasons since 1990 (when the NFL went to a 12-team format for the playoffs) that did not make the playoffs that year.

Winning record seasons but no playoffs (since 1990)
4: Kansas City, Miami

3: Chicago, New York Giants, New York Jets, Pittsburgh, San Diego

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp