The Microsoft Engine That Nailed The World Cup Is Predicting Every NFL Playoff Game - Here Are Its Picks For Round 2

Cortana is a Windows phone virtual assistant that's using a Bing Predicts algorithm to pick every NFL game this year. It picks games straight up, not against the point spread.

During the regular season Cortana got around 66% of its picks right. For comparison, Las Vegas betting favorites also won around 66% of the time, and Nate Silver's ELO model was at 69%.

Cortana, Vegas, and Silver all had the same four teams winning in the Wild Card round. The one game they got wrong was Steelers-Ravens.

The Bing Predicts algorithm that predicted the World Cup made headlines by picking 15 of 16 knockout stage games correctly. With only six games left in the football season, its best possible NFL playoff record is 9-1.

Here are Cortana's picks for this weekend's NFL playoff games as of Wednesday. We'll update them throughout the week if thy change (Vegas favorites in parentheses):

• Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots - Patriots win, 75.4% chance (Patriots -7.5)
• Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks - Seahawks win, 74.2% chance (Seahawks -11)
• Dallas Cowboys vs. Green Bay Packers - Packers win, 61.4% chance (Packers -6.5)
• Indianapolis Colts vs. Denver Broncos - Broncos win, 72.9% chance (Broncos -7)

Vegas and Cortana agree on all four games, and think none of them will be particularly close.

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
• Total - 173-87