Malcolm Butler blames himself for dip in playing time against Saints

FOXBOROUGH — Malcolm Butler laid the blame for him not starting Sunday against the Saints at his own two feet.

The cornerback, who played almost every snap the last two seasons, didn’t start Sunday against New Orleans, and ended up playing 49 defensive snaps, or 75 percent of the action. He said he was culpable for the change in playing time.

“I haven’t been performing at the level I should be performing at,” he said after practice on Thursday. “I have to do whatever I have to do to help the team. Whatever role I get, I have a job to do. I just have to keep grinding and keep working hard. Do whatever I can do to help the team.”

Asked if he thought it was performance-based, he shrugged.

“I really didn’t know at all,” he said. “I just accepted my role and went out there and did my job.”

Butler, who said he wasn’t surprised that he didn’t start, was asked about how he plans to go about getting his starting job back.

“Just keep working hard,” he said. “Working hard at practice. Believing in yourself. Having a lot of confidence. And staying focused.”

He added: “I question myself. But I’m finding my way back. You better believe that.”