Essendon veteran Dustin Fletcher has urged the slumping Bombers to shrug off their woes and lift for what is a mini-final against Brisbane at the MCG on Saturday night.

The Bombers have dropped their past three games and need to defeat the Lions to remain in the hunt for the finals.

Fletcher labelled the 27–point loss to West Coast at Subiaco Oval on Sunday as 'ordinary' – a result which toppled the Bombers from the eight and had them replaced by Port Adelaide.

The dual premiership full-back says greater commitment needs to be shown if the Bombers are to prevail in their final four home-and-away matches.

The immediate focus, however, will be on the Lions who are smarting from a 40-point pounding by Collingwood.

"It (Saturday night) is a massive game. I suppose yesterday's game was a big one, too," Fletcher said on Monday.

"At times during games we have looked like we could get the ball and go forward and go away with the game."

"But you just can't leave it until late. Games are that close these days."

"You have got to try to put four quarters together and we haven't put four quarters together for a while."

The Bombers' trademark run was nowhere to be seen at Subiaco Oval, with the Eagles clogging up the midfield.

Fletcher said the players were guilty of not following coach Matthew Knights' game-plan.

"He (Knights) wasn't happy and all the assistant coaches weren't too," Fletcher said.

"We know he puts a good plan in for us at training. We knew ourselves we played pretty ordinary and have got to lift this week."

The Bombers have a rugged run home, with matches against the Lions, unbeaten St Kilda, Fremantle and a desperate Hawthorn.

Fletcher said the team was already looking forward to seeking redemption at Subiaco Oval against the Dockers in Round 21.

"We had a good win against Sydney in Sydney and we obviously were pretty disappointing yesterday," he said.

"It gives the boys a chance in a couple of weeks to go back there and try and prove ourselves and play well interstate. It's up to us to lift and do that."

The Bombers hope Alwyn Davey (knee) returns this week while Mark McVeigh (corked thigh) ran laps of Windy Hill and joined in ball-work at a recovery session on Monday morning.

But Jason Winderlich (back) remains in doubt, while skipper Matthew Lloyd (heel) has all but been ruled out.