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Aaron Rodgers: Green Bay Packers need leadership

Trying times call for strong leadership, and these are trying times in Green Bay.

The Packers are 2-3 and have lost more games in the first five weeks than they had in the previous 23 games, including playoffs.

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Reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers said he and safety Charles Woodson have had conversations as team leaders to ensure there is no internal collapse.

"Charles and I are obviously real close," Rodgers said during his weekly radio show with Jason Wilde on ESPN Radio in Milwaukee. "Always try to keep a pulse on how the team's doing. ... I just feel like it's always important to keep a close eye on how the locker room is feeling...what kind of comments you're hearing.

"I just think that having Charles there has really been great and hopefully he feels the same thing about me. Just bouncing things off each other and relying on each other for advice and leadership."

The Packers continue a three-game road stretch that began last week with a loss to the Indianapolis Colts. They face the 5-0 Houston Texans on Sunday night before meeting up with the upstart St. Louis Rams in Week 7. The Packers do not want to return to Lambeau Field with a 2-5 record. They don't even want to think about 2-4.

Rodgers knows all eyes are on him with the Packers backed into an uncomfortable corner.

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"I think you've got to be the same person. I really do," Rodgers said. "I've always felt that way, whether we're 5-0 or 2-3. You have to be the same guy in practice. You have to be as prepared as you are each week. You have to bring the same kind of enthusiasm and energy to the practice field and meeting rooms. That's what guys are going to see from me. They know what to expect from me.

"I understand that people will be watching, not just the media, but teammates and coaches on how we're all going to respond to this. This is a good opponent coming up. We know the kind of game we need to play in order to come away with a victory."

The Packers bounced back from a 3-3 start in 2010 to win the Super Bowl. They begin this road back in front of the nation on "Sunday Night Football."

Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.