Once again Malcolm Butler has people asking: What does Bill Belichick know that we don't? Butler signed with the Titans after Belichick benched him in Super Bowl LII, where the Patriots lost to the Eagles. Since then, Butler has struggled mightily and been a weak link within one of the NFL's top defenses while Stephon Gilmore has flourished for the Pats. With all of that in mind, you'd think there may be some bad blood, but Butler isn't treating the Titans' matchup with the Patriots Sunday any differently.
"It's just a game," Butler said, per The Tennessean. "I know I used to play for New England and all of that. I'm not over-hyped. I'm not very pumped. It's just another game. I've got to be ready to play no matter who I play. People are throwing the ball. Just have to be ready."
While all of that is well and good, Butler may want to get a little pumped. Hes' allowed seven of the Titans' 14 touchdowns so far this season, along with 39 catches for 618 yards. All of those numbers are the worst in the NFL among cornerbacks.
Butler signed with the Titans on a five-year, $61.25 million contract this year. The Titans aren't giving up on the 28-year-old Super Bowl XLIX hero yet, with head coach Mike Vrabel saying Butler isn't in line for a demotion.
If he continues his poor play against the Patriots, Vrabel may be challenged to make a call sooner than later on Butler. The Titans do have a playoff race to consider, after all, and the Titans are tied for 29th in the NFL in points per game offensively. That is to say, the Titans have needed every bit of their No. 1-ranked scoring defense to get to 4-4. For the Titans, a revenge game mindset might not be the worst thing in the world. Anything to keep Butler on the hip of whoever he's covering.
