Microsoft Cortana is on a tear - here are its picks for Week 16 of the NFL
After an up-and-down stretch throughout the first half of the season, Cortana has not missed more than four game since Week 11. We're now just two weeks from the playoffs, and if Cortana can continue to perform well, it could beat its record from last season (161-95). The final two weeks are notoriously difficult, though, because many teams will begin to rest players in preparation for the playoffs.
This week, Cortana and Vegas disagree on just one game: Tampa Bay at New Orleans. The Bucs are underdogs in Vegas, but Cortana likes them to continue their push toward the playoffs. Elsewhere, Cortana gives the Texans a slight edge at home over the Bengals, and gives the Bills the edge at home against the Dolphins. Several games this week have playoff implications, most notably the Ravens at the Steelers. Cortana and Vegas both like the Steelers.
We've followed Cortana assiduously throughout the regular season, and come playoffs we'll do the same.
As always, Cortana picks only the outright winner of each game. It does not make picks against the spread, though we like to include the point spread (in parentheses, courtesy of Vegas Insider ) for comparison. You can find Cortana's predictions by searching "NFL schedule" on Bing (picks made before the Thursday night game).
Here are Cortana's Week 16 picks:
- New York Giants (-2.5) at Philadelphia Eagles - Giants 53% chance to win
- Washington Redskins (-3.5) at Chicago Bears - Redskins 63% chance to win
- Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (-3.5) - Bills 64% chance to win
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) at New Orleans Saints - Buccaneers 53% chance to win
- Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at Carolina Panthers - Falcons 58% chance to win
- Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-6.5) - Packers 64% chance to win
- New York Jets at New England Patriots (-16.5) - Patriots 82% chance to win
- Tennessee Titans (-5) at Jacksonville Jaguars - Titans 67% chance to win
- San Diego Chargers (-6) at Cleveland Browns - Chargers 63% chance to win
- Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders (-3.5) - Raiders 63% chance to win
- San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (-3.5) - Rams 58% chance to win
- Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks (-8) - Seahawks 74% chance to win
- Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans (-1) - Texans 52% chance to win
- Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (-5) - Steelers 67% chance to win
- Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5) - Chiefs 73% chance to win
- Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys (-7) - Cowboys 69% chance to win