West Coast coach Adam Simpson has urged fans not to write off the Eagles premiership hopes just yet, saying the team can still contend for the flag even if Nic Naitanui has torn his ACL.Simpson is bracing for the worst after Naitanui injured his left knee while landing awkwardly during Friday nights 25-point win over Hawthorn at Domain Stadium.Naitanui was on crutches after the match, and the early signs indicate he has torn his anterior cruciate ligament.Scans over the weekend will confirm the extent of the damage.I fear for the worst, hope for the best at the moment. It doesnt lk great, a shattered Simpson said.When any of your soldiers get hurt like that, youre going to feel for them.With Naitanui almost certain to play no further part this season, West Coasts flag hopes appear dmed.Naitanui played pivotal roles in recent wins over premiership hopefuls GWS and Hawthorn.The 2012 All-Australian kicked the winning goal against the Giants, and he was pivotal in the ruck against Hawthorn before getting injured in the third quarter.West Coast struggled earlier this season when Naitanui missed six games with an Achilles tendon injury.Although the Eagles ended up winning five of those matches, they were mostly against easy beats.But Simpson is adamant his team can still cause some damage this year, even if its from outside the top four and without Naitanui.Hes one of our best players, and we saw the influence hes had in the past few weeks, Simpson said.But we need to mature to a point where we dont have to rely on just one player to get it done.Its another test for us, which our boys are lking forward to. 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Wholesale Custom Rays Shirts . Burris threw two TD passes, including a key 15-yard fourth-quarter strike to Bakari Grant that effectively countered a Toronto comeback bid and led Hamilton to a 33-19 victory. THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Jared Goff will take the field with the Los Angeles Rams in his native Bay Area on Monday night for the first regular-season game of the No. 1 draft picks rkie year.And then Goff is almost certainly going to watch it in street clothes on the sidelines, clipboard in hand.Its not exactly the heroic homecoming many imagined for Goff when the Rams traded up to snag the California quarterback less than five months ago. Yet Goff and Rams coach Jeff Fisher both insist his current status as Los Angeles third-string quarterback is all part of a bigger, better plan.He wants to play, and I want him to play, Fisher said. But were not there yet.Case Keenum is the Rams starting quarterback when they open the season against the San Francisco 49ers, comfortably keeping the job he held when last season ended in St. Louis.Sean Mannion, another Bay Area native with only seven passes of NFL experience, is Keenums backup. Goff is expected to be inactive for the game, and punter Johnny Hekker is expected to be the Rams emergency third-string quarterback.The No. 1 pick is being diplomatic about the decision, although he doesnt exactly try to hide his competitive edge.I dont know if its for one thing in particular, but its just what they decided to do this week, Goff said. I know theres plan in place, and I know this is all a part of it. Theres a process. Youre just going to trust the process and know that its all going to work out.Goff also realizes hell be watching the Rams opener while Carson Wentz, the No. 2 pick last spring, starts for the Philadelphia Eagles, who have enough confidence in their rkie to trade Sam Bradford to Minnesota.We have the same agent, so we talked about it, Goff said. Im excited for him, excited to see what he can do.Keenum firmly kept hold of the Rams starting job throughout Goffs first offseason. Goff went just 22 for 49 in four preseason appearances, throwwing two touchdown passes and two interceptions for the offense that finished 32nd in the NFL last season.ddddddddddddWhile Goff has shown flashes of the game-breaking excellence that got him to the top of most teams draft boards, he clearly hasnt seized the job -- and he acknowledges he still has plenty to learn.Even taking snaps from center is a learning process for Goff, who spent his three-year Cal career almost exclusively in the shotgun. He even fumbled a shotgun snap in the Rams preseason finale at Minnesota, committing a turnover that led to a field goal.After being a starting quarterback throughout high schl and college, Goff now must get used to life as a backup. Although the Rams are highly unlikely to neglect him, Goff acknowledges the challenge of trying to get better when two other quarterbacks are getting more attention and playing time in practice.My whole life, Ive been the starter, so Im used to taking those reps, Goff said. Through OTAs and through training camp, Ive learned to take mental reps and watch Case and Sean, and see what they do well and try to replicate that.Fisher also realizes the difficulties of learning a job without practice time, but the Rams are wedded to Goffs success through everything they gave up to get him. Goff still could become the Rams starter through injury or ineffectiveness by Keenum, who will be a free agent after this season.But that wont change Monday nights opener. Goff will have family and friends in the Santa Clara stands, but the Marin County product wont be able to show them anything just yet. He hides his disappointment behind a laugh.Ill play in San Francisco more than once, Goff said. So no, Ill be OK.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '