FOXBORO — Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told his defense after Sunday’s 41-21 loss to the Texans that they should “feel like crap.”

The message was heard loud and clear by veteran defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.

“We gotta figure out a way to get back to the standard of playing great defense — 41 points is embarrassing,” Godchaux said.

Mayo was most disheartened by his defense’s fundamentals, tackling and run fits, saying the unit is not playing winning football.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 192 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. The Texans rushed for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries with two runs of 50-plus yards.

“It goes back to every single play being important, and you can stop them, stop them, stop them, and then all of a sudden it’s a 50-yard run,” Mayo said. “We can’t live in that world.”

Godchaux said the Patriots can’t use losing safety Jabrill Peppers to the commissioner’s exempt list, linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley to a season-ending injury, defensive tackle Christian Barmore to blood clots and outside linebacker Matthew Judon to a trade as excuses for their performance.

“Last year, we lost big pieces too, and we still were a great defense,” Godchaux said.

Godchaux said it’s more frustrating knowing their errors are self-inflicted.

“It’s missed tackles, blown assignments, being where you’re supposed to be, and it’s too much of not doing that. I can go on and on, but it is what it is,” Godchaux said.