Jacksonville Jaguars: Will Injuries Seal the Team's Fate Early in the Season?

Jacksonville Jaguars fans remember it well. Defensive end Aaron Kampman went down with a torn ACL in the eighth week of the 2010 season.

In Week 16, starting running back Maurice Jones-Drew called it a season with a tear in his meniscus.

In Week 17, quarterback David Garrard watched as the team lost to Washington, ending its playoff hopes.

Yes, the injury bug seemed to help seal the fate of the team last season, something head coach Jack Del Rio, his coaching staff and the team hopes does not happen again in 2011.

So far, that wish does not look like it will come true. Four key starters are ailing, causing concern that the team may be without them for extended periods of time.

Kampman was inactive in the team's first game of the season, a 16-14 victory of the Tennessee Titans. Right tackle Eben Britton was also inactive, allowing Guy Whimper to get the call.

During the game, Pro Bowl tight end Marcedes Lewis came up hobbling in the second half, an injury that was first thought of as cramps but turned out to be more than that.

And on a play where he tried to make an interception, defensive back Derek Cox injured himself.

So what does this say for a team that was already in transition, had a new quarterback in center in Luke McCown and a running back who felt slighted in how many carries he got in the second half against Tennessee?

It could be a sign of trouble if players do not mend quickly, Kampman does not come back full speed and Britton does not add more strength to an offensive line that pushed the Tennessee defensive line around for most of the game.

Britton has been out since last season and went through a procedure on a disc in his back during the preseason. He did not play in a preseason game and was inactive last Sunday.

According to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union, Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio called starting cornerback Derek Cox doubtful on Wednesday after he sustained a chest injury during the Jaguars' season opening win.

But a long-term injury to Lewis could be more devastating than any of the others combined. With the new play at quarterback, Lewis becomes more of a security blanket in the passing game. While the Jaguars spent millions of dollars to improve the defense and offensive line, the receiving corps wasn't addressed except for the drafting of Cecil Shorts in the fourth round of the April Draft.

Yahoo Sports is reporting that the cramps were really a calf strain, and the team's first pick in the 2006 draft is a "question mark."

He plans to test the injury Friday before a decision is made on his playing Sunday.

Fans don't want to go through the same pains as last season. This team was in control of the AFC South through Week 15, then faltered down the stretch. Del Rio even said on his weekly television show that preparing to be stronger at the end of the season was paramount for this team's success.

But they cannot be successful if injuries continue to hit them hard. And when this is a make-or-break season with wholesale changes the team has already experienced, it cannot be a good feeling that breaks are not going their way after the first week of the season.