Parramatta deny they have dropped their bundle as they edge dangerously towards needing another miracle back-end to an NRL season.

The pre-season favourites are walking a tightrope following Sunday's fifth loss in their past six games, needing a win against North Queensland next Monday to avoid being in the same predicament they found themselves in last year.

A loss to the Cowboys would leave them realistically needing to win seven of their last eight games to make the finals - something they achieved in the last eight rounds of 2009.

Adding to the task, six of those games are against current top-eight sides.

The Eels famously went on to win ten of their last 12 on the way to last year's grand final, but have consistently said it would be "naive" to think they could do the same again.

They were roundly criticised for their lack of intensity in Sunday's 34-6 thrashing by the Warriors.

"I thought the intensity was very good at the warm-up before the game," half Kris Keating told AAP.

"I heard a few people say it was pretty down but I thought a lot of the players were pretty upbeat.

"They put it to us in that first 20 (minutes) and we held them pretty strong."

Keating said the Eels had not discussed the maths of their fast fading season and claimed there was no crisis mentality at the club, which has also been hit by off-field distractions in the past month.

"When you're around the boys it doesn't feel like that at all, everyone's still upbeat and really positive," Keating said.

"We haven't really thought about (the maths), we just want to get a few wins under our belt and we've just got to keep working hard and hopefully a few bounces of the ball go our way and little things in the game go right for us."

He said halves partner Daniel Mortimer did not deserve to be given the "second year syndrome" tag.

"I think it's just more the way the team is up and down," Keating said.

"He's copping a bit of the criticism but I don't think it's all Morts' fault.

"Pretty much the whole team has got to do their small thing on game day to get those players like Morts and Haynesy (Jarryd Hayne) firing."

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