Science

Who Will Win Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans? A.I. Predicts

The Titans look to keep their share of the AFC South lead.

Getty Images / Michael Reaves

The Tennessee Titans are 7-4 and tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the AFC South lead, yet they also have a knack for losing to teams they shouldn’t — like, say the Houston Texans, who crushed them 57-14 earlier this season. A hive mind of NFL fans predicts the Titans will win the rematch.

The Texans have generally dominated the Titans, winning 11 of 15 match-ups going back to the 2010 season. That earlier rout was especially bad for the Titans, but Houston’s misery could be Tennessee’s gain: The injury to breakout star rookie Deshaun Watson has ended Houston’s chances of being competitive this season. Will that be enough for the Titans to finally get past their divisional rival?

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From their game earlier this season.

Getty Images / Tim Warner

To predict the result of this and other games, Unanimous A.I. used what’s known as swarm intelligence to forecast the week’s slate. About 30 NFL fans worked together as a hive mind to make picks. As you can see in the animation below, each participant controlled a little golden magnet and used it to drag the puck toward the answer they thought was the most likely outcome. As the users saw the puck move toward a particular outcome, it triggers a psychological response. They readjust their decision-making, building toward a consensus. Here’s Unanimous A.I. founder Louis Rosenberg explaining swarm intelligence at a recent TEDx Talk.

Unanimous A.I. has made some scarily accurate predictions in the past using swarm intelligence, as our previous article explains. For instance, the swarm went a perfect 7-0 in its most recommended picks for a recent English Premier League slate.

Unanimous A.I.

The hive mind likes Tennessee to win here, picking them with high confidence and 86 percent brainpower.

Unanimous A.I.

The hive mind predicts the Titans will win by seven to nine points, with 93 percent brainpower behind the pick. The Vegas line has the Titans by 6.5 points.

The game kicks off 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday on CBS.

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