Colts have an impressive takeaway streak going; how far is Indy from the record?

In Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross recorded a game-changing interception in the second quarter. The pick was a milestone moment for Cross because it was the first interception of his young career. It was also a big moment for the Colts because it extended their impressive streak of consecutive games with a takeaway to 19.

19 straight games with a forced turnover is by far the longest active streak in the league. The Miami Dolphins are next with a forced turnover in eight straight games— 11 less than Indianapolis.

After Cross’ interception, the Colts picked up another takeaway in the third quarter when EJ Speed forced a fumble and Julian Blackmon recovered it, and got their third turnover of the game in the fourth quarter when Julian Blackmon got his own interception. The three turnovers took their season total up to 24, which is tied for third-most in the NFL— the top mark this season is 25.

As evident by the takeaway total and the streak, turnovers are a big part of Indy’s defensive success this season, and has been for the last three years. The question, though, is how far away is the NFL record for consecutive games with a forced turnover.

What is the NFL record for consecutive games with a takeaway?

The current record is 71 games, set by the Philadelphia Eagles from 1985-1990. So, if the Colts want that record, they have a long way to go. Indianapolis only has three more games this season. If Indy forced a turnover in all three remaining games, that would extend the streak to 22. Still, the Colts would be almost three full seasons away from breaking the record.

However, Indianapolis can take pride in the fact that this is the longest streak the NFL has seen since the Miami Dolphins recorded a takeaway in 26 consecutive games from 2019-2021. Most importantly, the turnovers are helping the Colts win games and has the team in position to make the playoffs.

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