FOXBORO, Mass. — Davon Godchaux was not pleased with how the New England Patriots defense performed in their 41-21 loss to the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.
Godchaux called out his fellow defenders for playing with a lack of pride, crediting the Drake Maye-led offense for doing enough on their side.
“Guys just got to take accountability,” Godchaux said in the locker room. “If you thought the game was over in the third quarter, its really just about having pride. Just don’t look like we had pride. I mean, just really don’t know how to win. That’s what it boils down to. Really just frustrating.
“It’s just the old story, man. I just don’t even know what to say.”
Godchaux expressed frustrations with the group earlier in the season during a radio interview. Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo had no problem with Godchaux’s remarks given they were echoed inside the locker room before they were shared publicly.
Mayo criticized the defense after the loss to Houston, as well.
“Even if you think we out the game, the offense gave us 21 points,” Godchaux said. “Usually our defense, the standard, the opposite offense doesn’t score 21 points.”
He added: “It’s just like, defense, man, we got to just figure out a way to get back to the standard of playing great defense. Forty-one points is embarrassing.”
The Patriots allowed 349 yards to Stroud and company. New England’s offense certainly performed better with season-highs in passing yards and passing yards per attempt, but four turnovers put the defense in a tough spot. Houston scored 17 points on those turnovers, two of which set the Texans up deep inside New England territory.
