The Microsoft Engine That Nailed The World Cup Is Predicting Every NFL Game - Here Are Its Picks For Week 3

For the second straight week Microsoft's Cortana - the virtual assistant that correctly predicted 15 of 16 World Cup knockout stage games - went 10-6 in its NFL picks.

Cortana now has a 20-12 record on the year.

For comparison, Las Vegas favorites are 18-14 overall and Nate Silver's ELO model is 19-13. Considering that the engine is just predicting winners and not results against the spread, 20-12 is just an OK record.

In the Week 2 games in which Cortana and Vegas disagreed (Baltimore-Pittsburgh, Miami-Buffalo, New York-Arizona), Cortana went 2-1 and Vegas went 1-2. The Microsoft engine had the Bills as a 62.9% favorite while Vegas initially had the Dolphins as the favorite. Buffalo won 29-10.

Here are Cortana's picks for Week 3 (with the Vegas betting lines as of Tuesday afternoon in parentheses):

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons - Falcons win, 71.6% chance (Falcons -6.5)
• San Diego Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills - Chargers win, 51.5% chance (Bills -2.5)
• Dallas Cowboys vs. St. Louis Rams - Cowboys win, 55% chance (Cowboys -1)
• Washington Redskin vs. Philadelphia Eagles - Eagles win, 72.9% chance (Eagles -6.5)
• Houston Texans vs. New York Giants - Texans win, 58.2% chance (Texans -2.5)
• Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orleans Saints - Saints win, 74.2% chance (Saints -9.5)
• Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals win, 71.6% chance (Bengals -7)
• Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns - Browns win, 58.2% chance (Ravens -1.5)
• Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions - Lions win, 58.2% chance (Lions -1.5)
• Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - Colts win, 64.4% chance (Colts -6.5)
• Oakland Raiders vs. New England Patriots - Patriots win, 82% chance (Patriots -14)
• San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals - 49ers win, 58.2% chance (49ers -2.5)
• Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks - Seahawks win, 58.2% chance (Seahawks -5)
• Kansas City Chiefs vs. Miami Dolphins - Dolphins win, 53.3% chance (Dolphins -4.5)
• Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Carolina Panthers - Panthers win, 67.4% chance (Panthers -3.5)
• Chicago Bears vs. New York Jets - Jets win, 58.2% chance (Jets -2.5)

Vegas and Cortana disagree on two games, Baltimore-Cleveland and San Diego-Buffalo.