New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley has admitted that his own mistakes put him on his side's bench.

The 24-year-old fumbled in three consecutive games for the Patriots and, as a result, was dropped against the Houston Texans last month.

However, in recent weeks he has worked his way back into the starting lineup in a limited role behind Shane Vereen and LeGarrette Blount.

"For me, it wasn't what I wanted, but I know why I got there," Ridley told reporters. "It wasn't like the coaches just woke up and decided, 'Hey let's bench Stevan Ridley today.' I put myself there.

"For me, it's about not letting past mistakes hold you down. I think that life brings you that. You're going to have adversity. You're going to have stuff you have to go through. It's how you bounce back as a person."

The Patriots can secure a bye week in their playoff campaign with a win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.