After managing just a solitary triumph from their opening eight games, the Black Cats have slipped down the table into 17th.
Bolton sit a spot below and a three-point haul at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday would see them leapfrog Steve Bruce's men.
Sunderland are yet to win on the road so far this campaign, drawing at Liverpool and Swansea and losing on trips to Norwich and Arsenal.
But Brown, a summer arrival on Wearside from Manchester United, is adamant Sunderland cannot afford to settle for anything less than a win this weekend if they want to give themselves some relief in the standings.
He told Chronicle Live: "A point away from home is always regarded as a good result but you've still got to be looking to win the game. It's as simple as that.
"The game away to Norwich City, we were very disappointing. And I was disappointed that we only got a point from our away trip to Swansea.
"We need to be better on our away travels.
"We've played well on a couple of occasions but we really have got to look towards getting wins away from home whenever we can.
"I've been brought up in a culture of believing that an away game is just as much an opportunity for three points and that you've got to keep that aim in mind, rather than just look to grind out a point on every away trip.
"This weekend's game against Bolton is another opportunity."
Source: Team Talk
Source: Team Talk