ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Inside the Meijer Performance Center, it goes without saying that the Detroit Lions need to win out during this final regular-season stretch to keep their playoff hopes alive.
"This last stretch, the way we're approaching it is, it's food on the table and we've got to go get it," Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill told ESPN. "They're trying to eat our food off the table, and we're not going to let them eat off it. That's the way I see it at least these last three games.
"Everybody in Detroit knows what it is. We've got to win these games. But even if we weren't in this position, we would still want to win these three games. We still want to win out. Our mentality right now is just to destroy whatever's in front of us."
At 8-6, coming off a 41-34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit enters Sunday's home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS) with a 36% chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN Analytics.
With a victory, Detroit's chances could jump to 47% but would dip to 16% with a loss -- independent of other results.
With three games left and so many teams still in the postseason picture, members of the Lions don't need pep talks to increase their sense of urgency. They know what's at stake from week to week with Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Chicago remaining on the schedule.
Win or go home. It's that simple.
"I think the best out of this group always comes through adversity because of who's in this group," Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond said. "This group is handpicked, given spots and pieces for a reason because it's a group of guys who have faced adversity already in their careers and have come out of it."
Coach Dan Campbell has emphasized to his players to approach this situation by winning their individual assignments and homing in on the details as opposed to thinking of going on a winning streak.
"You can't have a streak without winning the first one. So, all our focus has got to be on Pittsburgh and everything we've got and digesting this game plan -- understand this opponent you're getting ready to face," Campbell said. "You need to know exactly who probably most of your one-on-ones are going to be against, the way they play, the style of play. We've got to play freaking disciplined football."
In 2021, during Campbell's first season as head coach, Detroit started off 0-10-1 then started 1-6 in the 2022 season before finishing 9-8 overall and turning things around over the past two years with consecutive playoff appearances.
"Nobody's seen it worse than we have. I'm going to use those experiences this weekend to remind myself where we came from," McNeill said. "This is why we're here and why they're viewing us like that now because of what we've done so I'll just remind myself of that.
"And I'll just remind myself individually of who I am as a player and what I can do out there too to give my best foot forward to help the team the best way I can. Our mentality right now, especially me, is to win this game and scratch and claw."
Ahead of Wednesday's practice, Campbell stressed to the team: One week. One game at a time. One play.
Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard is bothered by giving up 41 points to the Rams. He's trying to find ways to get the most out of his players by holding himself accountable and identifying what his players do well to find ways to make plays.
"There will be some changes, whether that's schematically, whether that's personnel-based," Sheppard said. "And these guys are all in on it. That's the thing. There's some guys that need to play better. They said that, not me.
"And then just me as the coordinator, seeing the big picture of where we're at right now and what is it going to take week to week to win games. Forget the stats."
That message has stuck to veteran linebacker Derrick Barnes as Detroit tries to put together consecutive wins for the first time since October.
The Lions will also be seeking to avoid their first losing streak in more than three years. They've won 15 consecutive games following a loss, which is tied for the longest streak in NFL history, per ESPN Research.
"I think that going from 2021 to 2022 you kind of realize what kind of team you have and what you're built around, the amount of grit," Barnes said. "I know it sounds cliche, but it's true the amount of grit that this team has. The stone that was set and thanks to Dan [Campbell] because he's built this culture to where it is now.
"We faced a lot in those two years, and we've been in situations like this. We know how to get out of it. ... So, there's never a panic with us, we know what we need to do."