And after Zebre claimed a historic victory against their own countrymen, Benetton Treviso, Connacht enter the European break at the foot of the RaboDirect PRO12.
Despite their RaboDirect PRO12 troubles they are still alive in the European Cup and when Zebre travel to the Sportsground on Saturday, Lam is adamant his players will rise to the occasion.
"As a group we've always focused on the outcomes, and we badly want the wins and we badly want to be off the bottom of the table," Lam told The Irish Times.
"But you just go game to game and try to improve. I think the biggest thing that will focus us is that we've got a few guys coming back from injury and the next thing that will focus us is that we're still alive in Europe.
"If we can get a good win next week and Toulouse beat Saracens, then we go to London (to play Saracens on Saturday week) with everything alive. And that is the maths of it.
"But the bottom line is that we have to do our part of it and get a win against a Zebre team who obviously beat Treviso.
"So it's all on for us next week and that shouldn't be hard to motivate, particularly on the back of that.
"Sure they get pats on the back for the effort, but we're gutted as a group that we let another game slip away."
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Guinness PRO12 Connacht News
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