The 2008 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the franchise's 14th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 6th under head coachJack Del Rio. The Jaguars failed to improve upon their 11–5 record from 2007 and did not make the playoffs. The Jaguars struggled to a 5–11 finish, the franchise's worst record since 2003. The team's struggles were in part the result of a rash of injuries to the team's offensive line. The Jaguars lost starting guards Vince Manuwai and Maurice Williams for the season within the first quarter of the opening game. Tackle Richard Collier's career ended in early September when he was brutally attacked and shot 14 times.[1] Center Brad Meester missed the first two months of the season and guard Chris Naeole, signed to the roster mid-season in response to these injuries, was injured in pregame warmups before playing a single snap. Against teams with smaller defensive linemen, the 2008 Jaguars offense resembled the 2007 offense because the line was able to dominate. An example is the 23–21 victory in Indianapolis against the Colts that saw David Garrard drive the Jaguars into field goal range in the final minute, culminating with Josh Scobee booting the game-winning 51-yard field goal. However, the Jaguars overall struggled, especially in the second half of the season, as evidenced by a 21–19 loss to the Bengals, who entered the game with an 0–8 record.
This season marked the end of an era as running back Fred Taylor left the team after 11 seasons.
On September 2, 2008, third-year offensive tackleRichard Collier was shot outside an apartment building in Jacksonville while waiting for his girlfriend with a friend of his, former teammate Kenny Pettway, in his Cadillac Escalade.[3] He was shot 14 times, largely in his lower torso and upper legs. Five bullets lodged in his bladder, and two struck his spine, severing his spinal cord. He was critically wounded, and spent three weeks on a ventilator. He was left paraplegic, as well as having his left leg amputated below the knee due to embolisms.
