HOUSTON -- Aaron Rodgers knows what kind of pressure Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler is dealing with this season.

The Green Bay Packers quarterback sat behind Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre for three years before getting his chance to start. Rodgers’ first year as a starter was the 2008 season, when the Packers went 6-10.

Though there were high expectations for Rodgers because he succeeded Favre, Osweiler entered the season with a different kind of pressure: living up to the franchise-quarterback contract of four years and $72 million.

Brock Osweiler has the Texans in first place, but there's still pressure to live up to his franchise-quarterback contract of four years and $72 million. Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire

Rodgers thinks that eight years after he went through it, there has been a change in the perception of how long a quarterback should have to prove himself.

“Luckily for me, in 2008 I feel like there was a little bit more of a grace period than there is in 2016,” Rodgers said. “I mean, there’s definitely pressure on coaches and players at really all the levels now of football to win and win now and be productive.

“The beauty of our sport that often gets lost in that, you know, overreaction, hyper-alert information age that we live in, is that it’s a team sport. It takes all 11 on offense for a play to run successfully, and then obviously you need to stop people to win.”

Osweiler recognizes the importance of ignoring outside pressure.

“I think the most important thing over the course of an NFL season is just -- no offense -- is just blocking out the outside noise,” he said. “If the National Football League was easy, everybody would do it. It’s a constant challenge, it’s a constant learning process, but it’s something I love. I love that challenge.

“Every single week isn’t going to be perfect, but that’s what makes those really good weeks special, that’s what makes those wins special, because we know how hard it is to be successful. Just that process of coming in, working to get better, practicing to get better, studying film to get better, that’s the best part about this sport.”

For Rodgers, it was his confidence that helped him get through the 2008 season. “I think the key for any quarterback is confidence,” he said. “You just have to hang onto that confidence and keep trying to inspire your teammates and believe in yourself and trust the process.

“[I] definitely didn’t lose any confidence that year. Obviously, it was frustrating not winning as much as you wanted to win, but I never lost confidence in myself.”

Osweiler echoed Rodgers’ sentiments about the importance of a quarterback’s confidence, saying he believes it is absolutely necessary for his team to have success.

“I think the most important thing for a football team and for an individual is obviously to believe in yourself and your abilities, but then believe and trust your teammates, that they’re going to do their jobs. Trust in your teammates, trust in your coaches,” Osweiler said. “And when you have that belief amongst each other, you’re able to do special things.”

Though Osweiler has said all season that he hasn't lost any confidence in himself, he also hasn’t played well through 11 games, throwing 12 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. The quarterback has thrown multiple touchdown passes in just four games this season.

Rodgers pointed out that a team's record is more important than how an individual is playing, though. Heading into Sunday's game in Green Bay, the Texans find themselves atop the AFC South with a 6-5 record, just ahead of the 6-6 Tennessee Titans.

Osweiler has struggled on the road this season, and Houston is 1-4 away from NRG Stadium. In those games, Osweiler has completed 55.3 percent of his passes and thrown just four touchdown passes.

“I really could not be more excited for the challenge this week, going to Lambeau Field, a very difficult place to play on the road,” Osweiler said. “We’re playing a very well-coached team, we’re playing a good football team, and really the challenge started yesterday.”