Cashing Out | August 20, 2026 | Hour 2

**SPEAKER_1** (0:01)
This is Cashing Out with your host, Dustin Swedelson on VSiN, the SportsBetting Network.

**Dustin Swedelson** (0:10)
Back at it on Cashing Out, I'm Dustin Swedelson coming to you from the Circus Sportsbook in downtown Las Vegas, me here, you there, Sirius XM, Channel 158, YouTube TV, the VSiN Watch app and radio affiliates across the United States of God bless America. Appreciate you hanging out with us tonight as we've got football back in our lives. And to help us look ahead to the season, we're going out to the Progressive Guest Line. One of my favorite guys to talk ball with, he's Chad Brown, former All-Pro linebacker, 15 years in the National Football League, National Champion at Colorado. And he joins us now on the program and a great shot of him getting a sack as a member of the Seahawks behind him. Love it here. Chad, thanks for doing this, man. And I want to start with a team that played earlier today and just big picture your thoughts on them. Because from a Vegas, wise guys perspective, a lot of people are buying the Houston Texans, but you know, the one question is, what are you getting out of CJ Stroud? That defense is incredible and you know a ton about defenses. But Stroud, what's your level of belief he can get to a level where this team can really be a contender in the AFC?

**Chad Brown** (1:15)
To be on with you, Dustin. And I think I'm like most of the football world, but we're not sure what we're going to get.
There is a past experience with quarterbacks who can come in early in their career and have some success. But then eventually defenses catch up to them and they don't have another layer to their game. So if CJ Stroud going to join that list, or is he going to break through this season? So on the 13th, I've got the call for Buffalo Bills at the Houston Texans.
I would certainly think for CJ Stroud, he certainly shouldn't try to go out there and out duel Josh Allen.
Certainly can lean upon that Texans defense. I think D'Amico Rhynes is a very smart head coach. Will try to bring his quarterback along slowly, not ask too much of him, because that seems to be the issue. When things get too big for him, then he reverts back to some very poor habits. So I'm not exactly sure, obviously that that game early in the season would be a great tell for me to see him with my own eyes in person as to how much he's grown since some of these more recent past issues.

**Dustin Swedelson** (2:25)
Yeah, the Bills one and a half point favorites on the road at Houston Sunday, September 13th, totals 44 and a half. Let's go to the other end of that contest. Joe Brady's got quite the pressure on him this year. You take over a team where it's like Super Bowl or Buster, it's a failure. You'll be calling the game on Compass Media.
What do you make of Buffalo this year? The addition of DJ Moore and the pressure on Joe Brady and Josh Allen to get this done.

**Chad Brown** (2:52)
Last time we saw Josh Allen, he threw four interceptions against the Broncos.
So Josh Allen, well, I just talked about asking too much of CJ Stroud. Now, the Buffalo Bills have asked a lot of Josh Allen. Some games he's their leading rusher and of course their leading passer. But when you ask too much of him, or maybe he asked too much of himself, doesn't lean upon his teammates, then we see games like he had against the Broncos in the playoffs. Put up tremendous yardage numbers, but got careless with the football because he was trying to do too much. So he's able to rein himself in and play within himself, and begin to trust his teammates.
I necessarily can't think of a clear football example, but think about Michael Jordan. Once he learned to trust his teammates, they went on the championship run. Think about Kobe Bryant. Once he learned to trust his teammates, they went on the championship run. The Bills are kind of maybe at that precipice. Does Josh Allen still try to keep it as a one man show? Or does he try to use the weapons around him, even though they may not be superstar weapons, and trust that they can do enough to take enough pressure off for him, where he can play within himself?

**Dustin Swedelson** (4:06)
No, it's a great call. I mean, James Cook is a stud, DJ Moore's in, maybe Keon Coleman takes a step, and they've got the two tight ends are awesome. So I think it's a really good point here. Chad Brown is our guest, former two time All Pro linebacker, Compass Media Analyst at ChadBrown94 on X. You spent eight years in Seattle. They are the defending Super Bowl champs. And I gotta tell you, Chad, I can't remember another season where there's less hype for a team to potentially go back to back. On the betting board, they're fourth. The Rams are the favorite five and a half to one. The Bills are 10 to one. The Ravens are 10 to one. And then we get to Seattle at 11 to one. Are we all sleeping on that?