Microsoft Copilot AI has epitomized consistency through the first two weeks of the 2026 NFL season.
In Week 1 of the 2026 campaign, Copilot posted an 11-5 record. The chatbot repeated its 11-5 record in Week 2, notably correctly picking all three prime-time games while also backing the Denver Broncos to bounce back and earn a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Will Copilot be able to make it three straight weeks with 11 wins? USA TODAY Sports is continuing its experiment with the chatbot and had it make selections for all 16 of the NFL's Week 3 games.
Gathering Copilot's picks was simple. The AI chatbot was fed the following prompt, which helped it generate its 16 Week 1 picks.
- Can you predict the results of every Week 3 game for the 2026 NFL season and explain your logic for each prediction?
Per usual, Copilot was largely able to interpret the prompt without issue. There were, however, occasions where the chatbot provided outdated information. That wasn't overly surprising, as some Large Language Models (LLMs) struggle to keep up with the latest sports news and updates.
On the rare occasions when Copilot made mistakes, it was simply asked to fix the errors and reassess the prompt.
Below is a summation of Copilot's picks for Week 3, along with a brief, human-crafted analysis of each of the chatbot's answers.
NFL Week 3 picks: AI predicts scores for every game
- Copilot's Week 2 results: 11-5
- Copilot's 2026 season record: 22-10
Green Bay Packers 27, Atlanta Falcons 20
AI's take: Copilot believes the Falcons have a "difficult assignment" heading to Lambeau Field for a "Thursday Night Football" game. The chatbot noted Atlanta has "talent" but opined Green Bay would be "more consistent at home" on the short week.
Our take: The Packers' home-field advantage is typically strong, but it is still early in the season, so it won't be too cold at Lambeau. Green Bay is also dealing with injuries along its offensive line, with right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele being the most notable, so that could make things tough on the Packers offense. Don't be surprised if the Falcons, sparked by the return of Michael Penix Jr., pull off the upset here, or at least keep it close.
Buffalo Bills 31, Los Angeles Chargers 21
AI's take: Copilot expects the Chargers to be "competitive" in this game. However, it doesn't want to go against Josh Allen, who it said is "tough to contain" at the Bills' new Highmark Stadium.
Our take: Allen is the early-season favorite for MVP after logging nine combined touchdowns across the Bills' first two games. Meanwhile, the Chargers' new-look offense has struggled thanks to injuries along the offensive line and Justin Herbert not yet meshing with Mike McDaniel. It's hard to confidently pick Los Angeles, so expect Buffalo to remain undefeated in Week 3.
Carolina Panthers 23, Cleveland Browns 17
AI's take: The Panthers have "offensive momentum," in the eyes of Copilot. The chatbot noted it "trusts the Panthers' playmakers" to perform well against the Browns defense, making it willing to back the NFC South squad on the road.
Our take: Bryce Young has been efficient to start the season, tying for the league-high with six passing touchdowns and logging a 113.3 passer rating out of the chute. Deshaun Watson and the Browns looked better against the Buccaneers, but they figure to struggle against a Panthers defense that just humiliated the Falcons.
Detroit Lions 30, New York Jets 20
AI's take: Where do the Lions have the advantage over the Jets? It's at quarterback an in terms of "overall offensive continuity," according to Copilot. The chatbot expects Detroit to be "explosive" at home and give itself a path to a victory against the Jets.
Our take: Will the Lions lose to the Jets? Maybe not, but Detroit's defense has been weak through two weeks, which isn't a surprise given the talent it is missing at safety. The Lions should win, but don't be surprised if Geno Smith and the Jets offense has a good day and keeps this closer than Copilot is anticipating.
Houston Texans 24, Indianapolis Colts 20
AI's take: Once again, Copilot seems confident in C.J. Stroud. It opined he would "make a few key throws in the fourth quarter" to help lead the Texans to a win over their divisional rival. The chatbot also opined that "Houston desperately needs a win," which played a role in its analysis.
Our take: Look, backing a team just because they "desperately need a win" can sometimes backfire. But in this case, Copilot is right about Houston. The Texans should come into this contest motivated to bounce back from an 0-2 start, and they match up well against a Colts defense that just played 78 snaps in an overtime loss to the Chiefs. Expect the Texans to find a way to beat what should be a tired Colts squad.
Kansas City Chiefs 34, Miami Dolphins 20
AI's take: Copilot is backing a "more reliable" Chiefs offense in this matchup. It noted it plans to do that as long as Patrick Mahomes remains healthy, noting it was "difficult to pick against" the star quarterback.
Our take: Yeah, there's no way the Dolphins, as currently constituted, are going to beat the Chiefs. Copilot deserves some praise for that pick, though it did once again say Miami's "speed" could create "big plays," which leads me to believe it may still think Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are on the team.
New York Giants 19, Tennessee Titans 16
AI's take: Copilot is backing the Giants in this game, but it stated this could be one of the week's "uglier contests." The chatbot isn't confident in either offense, so it's picking the two teams to have "a low-scoring, defensive game" in Week 3.
Our take: Listen, I'm not going to pound the table for the Titans, but this is a revenge game for Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. The Giants also just lost Jaxson Dart to a season-ending injury, so Jameis Winston's penchant for interceptions could sink the Giants in the low-scoring game that Copilot is (correctly) projecting.
Cincinnati Bengals 24, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
AI's take: Copilot likes Cincinnati's passing attack, noting it would be "the difference" in this matchup. It also praised Joe Burrow's recent performance against the Steelers as well as the team's ability to "efficiently finish drives."
Our take: Burrow hasn't played against the Steelers since 2024, so it isn't clear exactly what recent performance Copilot was praising. Even so, the Bengals are the right side to back here. Cincinnati has an improved defense and Aaron Rodgers has not looked capable of leading a potent offense through two weeks of the 2026 season.
Seattle Seahawks 27, Washington Commanders 16
AI's take: Copilot has been "impressed" by the Seahawks defense thus far and expects the team to "control the line of scrimmage" against Washington. It also expressed little confidence in the Commanders' offense generating anything in this contest.
Our take: Marcus Mariota is taking over for the injured Jayden Daniels in Week 4. That's an absolutely terrible time for that to happen, as the Seahawks should feast on the veteran quarterback. Well done, Copilot.
Jacksonville Jaguars 26, New England Patriots 20
AI's take: Copilot likes backing home teams, so it's no surprise it is picking the Jaguars here. The chatbot said it likes the Jaguars' "offensive firepower" and expects the unit to find successs in favorable weather conditions.
Our take: I know the Patriots' offense hasn't looked good thus far, but trusting Trevor Lawrence to perform well also seems like a risk. He struggled against the Broncos' defense and now will face a New England stop-unit that is off to a strong start. Lawrence is easily the best quarterback the Patriots have played, so maybe that's why Copilot is giving the Jaguars an edge here.
San Francisco 49ers 28, Arizona Cardinals 17
AI's take: Copilot praised the Cardinals for being "competitive" to open the 2026 NFL season. However, it believes the 49ers have "one of the NFC's most talented rosters" and expects them to dominate time of possession to beat the Cardinals.
Our take: Credit to the Cardinals for beating the Chargers in Week 1, but they didn't look nearly as strong against the Seahawks. The 49ers are a rung or two above the Cardinals at present, so backing Kyle Shanahan's squad is the sensible choice.
Minnesota Vikings 23, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21
AI's take: The Vikings vs. Buccaneers matchup will be "one of the better games of the afternoon," in Copilot's estimation. The chatbot called Minnesota the "sharper" of the two squads to open the season, which lead it to back the Vikings.
Our take: Brian Flores runs the NFL's most blitz-happy defense while Baker Mayfield has been prone to mistakes and turnovers across the first two games of the 2026 season. That seems like a mismatch in favor of the Vikings, even if Mayfield has posted a better passer rating under pressure (100.3) than when kept clean (83.3) this season, per Pro Football Focus.
Baltimore Ravens 31, Dallas Cowboys 27
AI's take: Copilot noted the intriguing setting for the neutral-site game between the Ravens and Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro. Ultimately, it believes Baltimore's Derrick Henry-led running game and the team's "ability to create explosive plays" will lead it to victory over Dallas.
Our take: Neither defense playing in this game has been convincing thus far in 2026. That makes this game a coin-flip, but Copilot is probably right to back the Ravens. Their strong running game could allow them to dominate time of possession and limit Dallas' offensive opportunities.
Las Vegas Raiders 24, New Orleans Saints 23
AI's take: The Raiders at 3-0? Copilot believes it's possible. The chatbot is picking the "mild upset" because it has been impressed by how the Raiders have "started well" under the leadership of Klint Kubiak.
Our take: Credit to Copilot for making a bolder prediction, but I am not going against the Saints at home. They are a two-point conversion away from also being 2-0 on the season and have held their own against the Lions and Ravens. New Orleans should be able to beat Las Vegas at home.
Los Angeles Rams 24, Denver Broncos 20
AI's take: Copilot is excited to see the Rams offense face the Broncos defense in a strength-on-strength matchup. Still, the chatbot backed "Sean McVay's offense to find enough answers" to earn a victory over Denver and improve to 2-1.
Our take: Bo Nix has not looked good to start the season. He should eventually play more efficiently but until he does, it will be hard to back the Broncos against higher-level competition like the Rams. So, we'll side with Copilot here.
Philadelphia Eagles 27, Chicago Bears 17
AI's take: Copilot said that the Eagles have a "major advantage in the trenches" and a "more complete roster" than the Bears. That's why it's backing Philadelphia to win on "Monday Night Football."
Our take: The Bears may be down to their third-string quarterback with Caleb Williams (hamstring) and Tyson Bagent (concussion) in doubt for "MNF." Case Keenum may keep Chicago afloat for a bit, but the Eagles should eventually pull away – even if they don't appear to firing on all cylinders just yet.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Week 3 predictions by Microsoft Copilot AI for every game
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