The Microsoft Engine That Nailed The World Cup Is Predicting Every NFL Game - Here Are Its Picks For The Conference Title Games

Microsoft Cortana correctly predicted three of four NFL playoff games in the Divisional Round.

It's now 6-2 picking playoff games, and 176-88 (66.6%) overall.

Cortana is a Windows phone virtual assistant that uses a Bing Predicts algorithm to predict every NFL game. At the World Cup in Brazil, Bing's algorithm correctly predicted 15 of 16 knockout stage games.

It picks games straight up, not against the point spread. Las Vegas betting favorites have won 66% of the time this season, which is right in line with Cortana. Nate Silver's ELO model has a superior ~69% winning percentage.

Cortana, Vegas, and ELO have agreed on all eight playoff games so far. The two games they got wrong were Ravens-Steelers in the Wild Card round and Broncos-Colts in the Divisional Round.

Here are Cortana's picks for the NFC and AFC championship games. We'll update them if they change (Vegas favorites in parentheses):

• Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots - Patriots win, 56.5% chance (Patriots -7)
• Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks - Seahawks win, 58.9% chance (Seahawks -7)

Vegas and Cortana agree on both games.

Here are Cortana's results this year:

• Week 1 - 10-6
• Week 2 - 9-7
• Week 3 - 10-6
• Week 4 - 5-8
• Week 5 - 13-2
• Week 6 - 11-4
• Week 7 - 11-4
• Week 8 - 10-5
• Week 9 - 9-4
• Week 10 - 9-4
• Week 11 - 8-6
• Week 12 - 11-4
• Week 13 - 10-6
• Week 14 - 10-6
• Week 15 - 13-3
• Week 16 - 9-7
• Week 17 - 12-4
• Round One - 3-1
• Round Two - 3-1
• Total - 176-88