The Microsoft engine that picks NFL games crushed Week 1 - here are its picks for Week 2
Getty ImagesCortana likes the Bears at home versus the Cardinals.Microsoft Cortana - the virtual assistant that predicts NFL games - had a killer start to the season, going 13-3 in straight-up picks of all 16 NFL games during Week 1.
There weren't too many upsets around the league, but Cortana nailed probably the biggest by correctly picking the Rams over the Seahawks.
Both Monday night results may have surprised some as the Falcons beat the Eagles and the 49ers topped the Vikings, but Cortana correctly picked both by sticking with the home teams. Its three misses were the Texans, Colts, and Bucs (for what it's worth, Nate Silver's ELO model went 14-2, so it was a good week for algorithms across the board).
Here are Cortana's Week 2 picks, as of Wednesday morning. Vegas favorites (with point spreads) are in parentheses. We'll update these throughout the week to see if they change, and look out for our official picks later in the week!
- Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs - Chiefs win, 56.6% chance. (Chiefs -3)
- Houston Texans at Carolina Panthers - Panthers win, 65.9% chance. (Panthers -3)
- San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals - Bengals win, 65.9% chance. (Bengals -3.5)
- Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings - Vikings win, 62.9% chance. (Vikings -3)
- Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants - Giants win, 56.6% chance. (Giants -2.5)
- St. Louis Rams at Washington Redskins - Rams win, 53.3% chance. (Rams -3.5)
- Baltimore Ravens at Oakland Raiders - Ravens win, 53% chance. (Ravens -7)
- Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers - Packers win, 61.4% chance. (Packers -3.5)
- New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills - Bills win, 53.3% chance. (Patriots -1)
- Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears - Bears win, 51.5% chance. (Cardinals -1.5)
- Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns - Browns win, 52% chance. (Titans -1)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints - Saints win, 74.2% chance. (Saints -10)
- San Francisco 49ers at Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers win, 62% chance. (Steelers -5.5)
- Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars - Dolphins win, 61.4% chance. (Dolphins -6)
- Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles - Eagles win, 64.4% chance. (Eagles -5)
- New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts - Colts win, 67.4% chance. (Colts -7)
Cortana and Vegas are in strong agreement this week, with the two notable exceptions being Cortana liking the Bears over the Cardinals, and the Bills over the Patriots. As usual, the disagreements between Cortana and Vegas are games to circle on your calendar.