Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs is urging his teammates to flip the switch early and treat the closing stretch of their season as if the playoffs have already begun. With five games left and a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys looming on Thursday, Gibbs believes the Lions must adopt a win-or-go-home mentality.

A year removed from a magical 2024 campaign—one in which Detroit racked up 15 victories and finished as the NFC’s top seed—the team has taken a noticeable step back in 2025. Their latest stumble, a 31–24 defeat to the Green Bay Packers in Week 13, pushed them down to 7–5 and dropped them to third place in the NFC North, trailing both Chicago and Green Bay.

That loss put Detroit on the outside of the playoff picture, and climbing back in won’t be easy, especially since they now trail the Packers after losing head-to-head. Still, the Lions aren’t out of the fight. Five games remain, and Gibbs insists that the margin for error is gone.

“We’ve got to approach these like playoff games,” he said, stressing the urgency surrounding Thursday’s showdown with Dallas.

Detroit may receive a bit of help from elsewhere, as the Bears and Packers will play each other next week, guaranteeing one division rival will take a hit. But even with that potential break, the Lions understand that their path is straightforward: stack wins, avoid slips, and stay focused on each individual game. If they can run the table, their postseason chances remain very much alive—as long as they treat every remaining contest like it’s win-and-advance.