Cowboys Need 2 Major Lineup Changes For Schottenheimer 'Culture' Buy-In

The Dallas Cowboys' 24-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back on Thursday night was a dark, dark night for the franchise.

Against a winless team, with a rookie undrafted free agent, they were shown the door in their own building, trudging along to a 2-3 record while following it all up by insisting everything is going to be fine.

But the truth? With big-money players under-performing and fan anger and frustration growing, pressure is surely on this so-called "brotherhood'' we have heard so much about, and those inside the locker room will be seriously tested over the next week or so.

After the debacle against Tampa, there are two things that stick out as a way for fans, and more importantly, the players, to fully buy into the Schottenheimer culture. 

Bench DaRon Bland.

Bench Jake Ferguson.

A detailed look at both concepts ...

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1 - Limit DaRon Bland's snaps:

For whatever reason, since he signed that big extension, Bland just hasn't been the same corner.

Could it have been his foot injury? Sure.

But now, teams are going after No. 26 and are getting a lot of production from receivers matched up on him. 

The dropped pick-six on Thursday would have had the Cowboys set up nicely for a two-point conversion to tie the game against Tampa Bay, but he dropped it.

The fan base is out on Bland. Does that matter? Only a little.

The locker room knows he's struggling. Would replacing him matter? Maybe a lot.

He isn't getting cut (at least this season), so stop that right now. As for a trade, what would his currency be in his current form?

Limit his snaps to prove you don't accept this level of performance. ... and do so just as Cobie Durant is ready to get healthy for Week 6 at Green Bay.

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2 - Make it the Brevyn Spann-Ford show:

Jake Ferguson's fumbles and poor blocking this season have seen many in Cowboys Nation want his backup to see the field more.

Ferguson played 50 offensive snaps against Tampa; Spann-Ford just 20. That's way out of whack.

That has got to change.

In a similar situation to Bland, due to Ferguson's contract, Dallas isn't cutting him.

But giving Spann-Ford, who has shown far more as a blocker and pass-catcher than Ferguson has this season, that is another way that all involved can see that Schottenheimer isn't accepting what is being put out on the field.

Bland and Ferguson are big-money guys who have struggled this season. A coach with a hard-line stance would cut back their snaps and give them to others who deserve it.

A coach with a real "culture'' would do the same.