Chalk rocked during the NFL's Week 9 slate, and so did Microsoft Copilot AI. The chatbot posted what may have been its best-ever week making its NFL picks, getting tripped up by only one contest.
Copilot posted a 14-1 record when picking the NFL's 15-game Week 9 slate. Its lone slip-up was its decision to back the New England Patriots over the Green Bay Packers
in a contest that the Packers won handily.But everywhere else, Copilot sniffed out upset picks and close victories. Most impressively, the AI chatbot called out the New Orleans Saints' victory over the Cleveland Browns, an overtime contest that was the most tightly contested of the league's Week 9 games.
Now, Copilot will look to continue its winning ways in Week 10, as USA TODAY Sports'
experiment, having the AI chatbot pick the results of every NFL game, continues.
Per usual, one simple query was used to gather Copilot's picks for the week. The AI chatbot was fed the following prompt, which helped it to generate its Week 10 picks.
- Can you predict the results of every Week 10 game for the 2026 NFL season and explain your logic for each prediction?
This week, it took Copilot a couple of tries to interpret that prompt successfully. It initially pulled the wrong schedule data to make its predictions, but it was simply asked to reassess the prompt with the correct information, which generated the results below.
That Copilot made some small mistakes was not a surprise, as some Large Language Models (LLMs) struggle to keep up with the latest sports news and injury updates. But, per usual, the errors were few and far between.
Below is a summation of Copilot's picks for Week 10, along with a brief, human-crafted analysis of each of the chatbot's answers.
NFL Week 10 picks: AI predicts scores for every game
- Copilot's Week 9 results: 14-1
- Copilot's 2026 season record: 89-46-1
Washington Commanders 24, New York Giants 20
AI's take: Copilot noted that the Giants have "exceeded expectations" thus far in 2026, but the chatbot interestingly said it "still trusts Jayden Daniels more than New York's offense." Thus, it is backing the quarterback with a "higher ceiling" to lead his team to a victory on "Thursday Night Football."
Our take: Short-week games tend to favor either a team with significantly more talent or a team that is better coached. John Harbaugh has established himself as a Coach of the Year candidate during his first season with the Giants while the Commanders' Dan Quinn is decidedly on the hot seat. So, we'll start off the week by disagreeing with Copilot.
Detroit Lions 30, New England Patriots 23
AI's take: The Lions have been one of Copilot's favorite teams to back this season. The chatbot said the Lions have "advantages in the trenches and more offensive firepower" than the Patriots which should lead Dan Campbell's squad to a victory in Munich.
Our take: The Patriots just surrendered a combined 17 receptions, 335 receiving yards and two touchdowns to Christian Watson and Matthew Golden. New England will have a lot of trouble containing Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, so Detroit should have the advantage here.
Kansas City Chiefs 27, Atlanta Falcons 23
AI's take: Another week, another instance in which Copilot is backing Patrick Mahomes. It did note that the Falcons "can score enough to stay competitive," but the chatbot wasn't willing to pick against Mahomes in what it projects to be a one-score game.
Our take: The Chiefs have been excellent against wide receivers this season and may be able to take away Drake London. Doing so would make life difficult for Michael Penix Jr., who has endured a recent rocky stretch. Perhaps Bijan Robinson can do enough to keep this close, but the Chiefs should be favored to win this matchup.
Houston Texans 23, Cleveland Browns 17
AI's take: Copilot doesn't trust the Browns' offense. It called C.J. Stroud "the best quarterback in this matchup" and said the Texans should sport an advantage despite their "inconsistent" performance this season.
Our take: Deshaun Watson has been sacked a league-high 33 times despite missing last week's game with a concussion. The Texans rank ninth in pressure rate, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats, and just sacked Justin Herbert eight times. With that in mind, Copilot is right that this could be a long day for Cleveland's offense.
Green Bay Packers 27, Minnesota Vikings 24
AI's take: Interestingly, Copilot referred to this as "one of the toughest calls of the week." It ultimately sided with the Packers because of their "offensive balance" and said it expects a playoff-like atmosphere in this game.
Our take: Before the Vikings traded for Kirk Cousins, I would have said Copilot might have a little too much confidence in Minnesota. The Vikings' offense looked dreadful under the leadership of Carson Wentz against the Bills on "Monday Night Football," scoring just six points in that matchup, but Cousins will elevate Minnesota's ceiling. Still, Cousins gets a touch matchup against Green Bay's improving, Jonathan Gannon-coached defense, so this won't be an easy spot for him to lead the Vikings to a win.
Jacksonville Jaguars 31, Tennessee Titans 17
AI's take: Copilot kept its analysis for this game simple. It called the Jaguars "the much stronger team" while stating the Titans have "struggled all season."
Our take: Jacksonville is already playing at a high level and just added three defensive players – Jordan Davis, Davon Godchaux and Jessie Bates III – ahead of the 2026 NFL trade deadline to help bolster its Super Bowl chances. Meanwhile, Tennessee is in the running for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Good pick, Copilot.
Indianapolis Colts 21, Miami Dolphins 19
AI's take: Copilot is not looking forward to this game, saying it would be "ugly either way." It opted to back the Colts because they are playing at home and have "been more competitive recently," but that was the extent of the chatbot's breakdown.
Our take: The Dolphins have actually played hard in recent weeks and limited a high-flying Lions offense to 19 points last week. But with Malik Willis now on IR due to a groin problem, it's hard to pick Miami to earn its second win of the season. The Colts should earn a victory after keeping Jonathan Taylor in the fold at the trade deadline.
New Orleans Saints 23, Carolina Panthers 20
AI's take: Copilot stated it is "worried" about the Panthers' offense, especially playing on the road in New Orleans. The chatbot also referred to the Saints as being "generally more reliable in close games," which influenced its decision.
Our take: Neither the Panthers nor the Saints have been consistent this season, so it's hard to trust either side. That said, the Saints have struggled against the run this season and rank just 23rd in pressure rate, per the NFL's Next Gen Stats, which could allow Chuba Hubbard and Bryce Young to enjoy a quality outing. That may be enough for Carolina to get a road win.
Buffalo Bills 31, New York Jets 20
AI's take: Copilot highlighted this game as its "strongest selection." The AI chatbot expressed excitement about backing an "elite" Bills offense against a Jets offense that has "struggled to consistently score."
Our take: Josh Allen and the Bills offense had one of their worst performances of the season in Week 9 against the Vikings despite their 23-6 win. The Bills should be eager to get humming once again, and this matchup against the Jets is a perfect opportunity for Buffalo to do just that.
Seattle Seahawks 24, Las Vegas Raiders 17
AI's take: The Seahawks have a "stronger roster overall" than the Raiders, in Copilot's estimation. The chatbot expressed some concern about Seattle's quarterback situation, where Drew Lock looks poised to start in place of the injured Sam Darnold, but it still landed on the Seahawks as the right side.
Our take: Lock is dealing with an oblique injury, so his ability to play may be critical in this matchup, as Seattle's third-string quarterback Jalen Milroe has never started an NFL game. Still, Mike Macdonald's defense should give the Seahawks a chance to beat up on a Raiders squad that just struggled badly with turnovers against the 49ers in Week 9.
Los Angeles Rams 28, Arizona Cardinals 16
AI's take: Copilot expressed confidence in Rams coach Sean McVay leading his team to a win, saying he "usually finds answers against division rivals." It also said Los Angeles has been "significantly more trustworthy week-to-week" than Arizona in its analysis.
Our take: Cardinals rookie quarterback Carson Beck is set to make his first NFL start in this game, so Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald could be in for big days. But the Rams are also without their top two receivers, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, in this spot, so this could be a lower-scoring game. Los Angeles should still be favored to win, but the under should be in play here.
San Francisco 49ers 34, Dallas Cowboys 28
AI's take: Copilot believes the Cowboys can potentially win this game at home. However, it opined the 49ers' "overall talent level remains superior" to that of their opponent, leading it to side with San Francisco.
Our take: The Cowboys barely survived a scare against the Colts last week and have struggled badly to live up to expectations during Brian Schottenheimer's second season. Kyle Shanahan has the edge here and could lead the 49ers to a big win.
Cincinnati Bengals 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 21
AI's take: Copilot has the Steelers keeping this one close "because that's what Pittsburgh does." Still, it lauded the Bengals' "offensive upside" and believes that will be the difference in this game.
Our take: Joe Burrow is playing better than any quarterback right now, having racked up a whopping 18 total touchdowns over his last four games. Pittsburgh's defense will provide him a test, but Cincinnati should be able to win if it can break down the Patrick Graham-coached stop unit.
Baltimore Ravens 20, Los Angeles Chargers 16
AI's take: Originally, Copilot referred to this as a battle between "two playoff-caliber teams" before it was asked to reassess the prompt. After that, it said Los Angeles has "shown it cannot consistently finish games," so it is siding with the Ravens to drop the Chargers to 0-9 even without Lamar Jackson.
Our take: This game could be ugly, but at least the acquisition of Jacoby Brissett will give the Ravens a chance to field a competitive offense. That may be all they need to earn a victory over the struggling Chargers.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Week 10 predictions by Microsoft Copilot AI for every game
Advertiser disclosure: USA TODAY may earn a commission when you sign up through links on this page. Commissions never influence our editorial coverage or rankings. Offers and odds were accurate at publication and are subject to change; terms apply — see the operator’s site. This is general information, not betting, legal or financial advice. To the fullest extent permitted by law, USA TODAY is not liable for losses arising from your use of it.
Must be 21+ (18+ where permitted). Sports betting and casino gaming are not legal everywhere; complying with the laws where you are located is your responsibility. Gamble only with funds you can afford to lose. Gambling problem? Help is available 24/7 — call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, or call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET. State helplines and responsible gaming resources.
