Microsoft Copilot AI got off to a good start in defending its winning record picking every result from the 2025 NFL season.
In Week 1 of the 2026 campaign, Copilot posted an 11-5 record
. The AI chatbot saw a couple of its big favorites – notably the Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams – fail to deliver, but it closed the week on a high note, correctly predicting the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Denver Broncos on "Monday Night Football."Will Copilot post similar results in Week 2? USA TODAY Sports continued its experiment and waited to see whether the chatbot would overreact to the results from Week 1.
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 2 game for the 2026 NFL season and explain your logic for each prediction?
Copilot typically followed the prompt without issue. However, the chatbot occasionally provided outdated information.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 2, along with a brief, human-crafted analysis of each of the chatbot's answers.
NFL Week 2 picks: AI predicts scores for every game
- Copilot's Week 1 results: 11-5
Buffalo Bills 31, Detroit Lions 27
AI's take: Copilot opined that this "Thursday Night Football" opener is a "near toss-up" but it believes Buffalo will come out with a win in a "spotlight game in its new stadium." It expressed confidence Josh Allen would play well but also referred to Detroit as "talented."
Our take: This is fair analysis from Copilot. The Bills should be favored at home in what figures to be a high-scoring game between two teams with leaky defenses. Allen's dual-threat ability should help the Bills beat a Lions team that may be tired after a short week following an overtime win over the Saints in Week 1.
Carolina Panthers 24, Atlanta Falcons 20
AI's take: Copilot called the Panthers an "ascending" team. The chatbot also noted it "likes the Panthers' offensive upside" more than it does that of the Falcons.
Our take: The Panthers just dropped 37 points on the Bears, so it's easy to see why Copilot is confident in Carolina's offense. Sure, the Panthers also surrendered 59 points in that game, but they should have far fewer issues containing a Falcons offense that may once again be led by third-string quarterback Cooper Rush.
Baltimore Ravens 30, New Orleans Saints 17
AI's take: The Ravens have a litany of advantages in this game, according to Copilot. It expressed confidence in Lamar Jackson and also referred to M&T Bank Stadium as "one of the league's strongest home-field advantages." Copilot also believes the Saints will be "competitive" but isn't ready to back them in such a spot.
Our take: The Saints nearly upset the Lions in Week 1 but will be harder-pressed to enjoy similar success against the Ravens. New Orleans may be tired from its overtime game in Detroit, so it's hard to argue with Copilot's logic – even if the chatbot was wrong about the Ravens having "better coaching continuity" than the Saints.
Chicago Bears 27, Minnesota Vikings 20
AI's take: Copilot has the Bears' offense as being "further along" than the Vikings'. It also likes that Chicago will be at home in Week 2.
Our take: OK, Copilot was kind of stating the obvious about Chicago's offense. The Bears just dropped 59 points on the Panthers while the Vikings are set to start Carson Wentz if Kyler Murray (concussion) can't be ready for Week 2. Nonetheless, this seems like a sensible pick, even if Minnesota is expected to give Chicago a better defensive test than Carolina.
Houston Texans 28, Cincinnati Bengals 24
AI's take: Interestingly, Copilot is confident in C.J. Stroud. The chatbot referred to this game as possessing "a quarterback duel worthy of prime time" between Stroud and Joe Burrow before opining that the Texans' "young defensive core" will give them the edge in this game.
Our take: Stroud was solid in Week 1 against the Bills, but he still had a couple of fumbles and was sacked three times. His issues with negative plays derailed the Texans in the playoffs and could hurt them here against a much-improved Bengals defense. Add in that Houston's defense struggled in Week 1 against Buffalo and Copilot may end up on the wrong side of this pick.
New England Patriots 20, Pittsburgh Steelers 16
AI's take: Copilot is expecting a "defensive struggle" in this game. It's ultimately backing the Patriots because it believes the "physical style" the team employs under Mike Vrabel will allow New England to eke out a win over Pittsburgh.
Our take: The Patriots lost to the Steelers in Week 3 last year after turning the ball over five times. Despite those turnover issues, New England's loss was only by a score of 21-14. If the Patriots, and particularly Drake Maye, can limit their mistakes, that should allow the team to earn a win by containing a Steelers offense that doesn't make a lot of explosive plays.
Green Bay Packers 26, New York Jets 19
AI's take: Good news, Jets fans: Copilot said New York is "difficult to trust week-to-week" but expects it to remain "competitive" after beating the Titans in Week 1. The chatbot is, however, more comfortable backing the "stable" Packers and Jordan Love in this matchup.
Our take: The Packers unraveled after Matt LaFleur's controversial decision to take a field goal off the board in their 39-22 loss to the Vikings. Any similar collapse or lack of discipline could put them on upset alert against the Jets, but odds are the Packers will win as New York sees an uptick in competition after dispatching Tennessee.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24, Cleveland Browns 13
AI's take: Unsurprisingly, Copilot praised the Buccaneers for having a "superior overall roster" to the Browns. It did express confidence in Cleveland's defense being able to "keep games close," but it simply doesn't trust the Browns offense to do too much.
Our take: Copilot has the correct result here, but the chatbot may be sleeping on just how bad the Browns' defense looked against the Jaguars. And as long as Deshaun Watson remains the starter, it will be very hard to back Cleveland to win.
Philadelphia Eagles 30, Tennessee Titans 16
AI's take: Copilot expects the Eagles to "overwhelm" the Titans in Week 2. It cited Philadelphia's strong offensive line and roster depth, calling Nick Sirianni's squad the "more complete team."
Our take: Maybe Landon Dickerson's injury will throw a wrench into Copilot's analysis about the Eagles' offensive line, but Philadelphia should still cruise to a win here. My bold prediction for this week is a four-touchdown game from Jalen Hurts, and Copilot's score projection would allow for that to happen.
Denver Broncos 23, Jacksonville Jaguars 20
AI's take: Copilot is often wary of teams playing in Denver, referring to it as "a difficult road trip." That's why it's backing the Broncos to beat the Jaguars, while expecting Denver's defense to play well.
Our take: Copilot may want to grind some more tape of the Broncos' 31-10 "Monday Night Football" loss to the Chiefs. Denver's defense looked ugly in that game, missing a ton of tackles and struggling badly to contain Kenneth Walker III. That said, the Broncos should eventually bounce back, so this is hardly an egregious prediction. It's just a rosy outlook for Denver on a short turnaround.
Los Angeles Chargers 27, Las Vegas Raiders 17
AI's take: The Chargers are "the better-coached team" when compared to the Raiders, in Copilot's estimate. The chatbot also believes Justin Herbert will give Los Angeles a quarterback edge, which should allow the Chargers to win at home.
Our take: The Chargers didn't look particularly well-coached in their season-opening loss to the Cardinals. Even so, Copilot is right about Herbert's talent. He should be the better quarterback in this game, and it will be interesting to see if Kirk Cousins and Ashton Jeanty's strong Week 1 performances were legitimate or a product of playing the lowly Dolphins.
Seattle Seahawks 24, Arizona Cardinals 21
AI's take: Copilot seems to be giving the Cardinals some credit for their Week 1 win over the Chargers, though it noted it wouldn't pick Arizona until it "proves it can consistently beat quality opponents." It's giving the Seahawks the edge by virtue of having a "more reliable roster" after their Super Bowl 60 win.
Our take: Honestly, it's a bit surprising Copilot is projecting such a close game. Maybe the chatbot is worried about Sam Darnold's absence having an impact, but nonetheless, an efficient performance from Drew Lock coupled with Seattle's elite defense should set up the Seahawks to cruise.
Dallas Cowboys 31, Washington Commanders 28
AI's take: Copilot remains consistent in its assertion that the Commanders are a "playoff-caliber" team. Even so, it believes the Cowboys' "offensive firepower" will earn it a win in what it expects to be a "chaotic" divisional clash.
Our take: It's interesting that Copilot believes the Commanders will make the playoffs but isn't picking them to beat the Cowboys. This game figures to be close, but if Dallas' defense plays as it did against the Giants, Jayden Daniels and Co. might end up winning this one.
San Francisco 49ers 30, Miami Dolphins 16
AI's take: Copilot thinks San Francisco's "defense and physicality" will be the difference in its game against Miami. It opined that the 49ers deserve to be "heavy favorites" in this contest.
Our take: Funnily enough, Copilot once again expressed confidence in Miami's speed, a sign it might believe that Jaylen Waddle or Tyreek Hill is still on the Dolphins. Either that or it views Malik Willis' mobility as a difference maker. But either way, the 49ers are the right side to back here. Their only issue is that they could be fatigued after flying back from Australia.
Kansas City Chiefs 28, Indianapolis Colts 20
AI's take: Copilot called the Colts an "improving" team but still expressed faith in Patrick Mahomes. It said backing the quarterback at home remains "one of the safest bets in football."
Our take: In all likelihood, Copilot's assessment of the Colts is based on the strides Daniel Jones made last season. But in reality, Indianapolis is closer to the bottom of the league than to playoff contention right now. Expect Kansas City to earn another prime-time win.
Los Angeles Rams 27, New York Giants 17
AI's take: Copilot called the Giants a "rebuilding" team and noted its belief that Sean McVay will find a way to "exploit defensive mistakes" in the Rams vs. Giants matchup. It also believes Los Angeles has a quarterback advantage with Matthew Stafford.
Our take: Could the Rams open the season 0-2? It's at least possible, as they flew back from Melbourne ahead of their Week 2 game and will be without Myles Garrett. Jaxson Dart and the Giants looked good against the Cowboys, so don't be surprised if they try to dominate possession again and keep this one close. But ultimately, Copilot is probably right to back the Rams.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL Week 2 predictions by Microsoft Copilot AI for every game
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