EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Many three-year NFL veterans use the preseason as a tuneup.But thats not the case for New York Giants running back Andre Williams.Williams is in a tough competition for a spot on the teams final 53-man roster that will kick off the season Sept. 11 against Dallas.Williams, a fourth-round draft pick out of Boston College in 2014, struggled last season, rushing for only 257 yards and one touchdown. Williams averaged just 2.9 yards per carry, and the team drafted Paul Perkins out of UCLA in the fifth round.Theres only room for so many running backs, so Williams knows that he has no guarantees. Orleans Darkwa, who had 153 yards on 36 carries (4.3 yards per carry) and a touchdown last season, is also in the mix.Im supposed to be here, Williams said Friday night after leading the Giants with 41 yards on nine carries in a 27-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins in the preseason opener.I dont feel like I have to prove anything. The only thing I have to prove is prove to myself that I can be here and do the job.Williams also saw some time on special teams Friday, trying to show his versatility.I did a lot of things, Williams said. I showed I could get to the outside well. It was a big emphasis for us to win the outside zone. I had to get to the gap and get outside. I always thought I was fast enough. Being able to get out there was big for me.Williams broke a big run for 16 yards early in the game.I think Im able to carry my weight better now, Williams said. Every time I get on the field, theres a balance between knowing that I have do to certain things and going out and having fun.Perkins also showed a good balance of speed and strength, gaining 36 yards on seven attempts (5.1 yards per attempt) Friday night, making the competition for that roster spot that much more interesting.Darkwa, who was a special teams stalwart last season, had two carries for 16 yards Friday.Another rookie who had a stellar game was linebacker B.J. Goodson, the fourth-round pick out of Clemson. Goodson tied for the team lead in tackles with six with veteran Mark Herlizch. Goodson also had two tackles for losses.It felt good to be able to do something and fly around out there, Goodson said. Im very grateful, because not a lot of guys get this opportunity. I just wanted to do my best and do whatever the coaches seem fit.Rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard had the catch of the game for the Giants, a diving grab along the sideline for 24 yards, before leaving with a slight groin injury.Its nothing serious at all, Shepard said of his injury. Its just a little sore. Ill be all right.As for his acrobatic catch?Its just something that I can do, Shepard said. I felt like I could go and get it. I think whatever happens in practice can carry over to the game. I was doing well in practice. This was just preseason. I have a lot left to do.But the Giants struggled in some aspects of the game, especially the play of backup quarterback Ryan Nassib.Nassib, a fourth-round draft pick four years ago, has never had a chance to play much because of Eli Mannings durability.But Nassib got the chance to play most of the game Friday night, but didnt do much to impress Ben McAdoo, who made his head coaching debut.Nassib completed just seven of 15 passes for 75 yards, throwing two interceptions and fumbling once. Nassib appeared jittery and completed just one pass more than 20 yards, the 24-yarder to rookie Shepard in the first quarter.Nassib drove the Giants 39 yards on the first drive -- then a total of 40 yards over the next 10 drives. The Giants fumbled a total of six times in the game.Ball security is the No. 1 priority in this league and I didnt do a good job of that, Nassib said.We have some things we have to work on. Turnovers are unacceptable. You never go into a game expecting to throw two interceptions. Obviously, when you fail, its disappointing and frustrating. I just have to bounce back and get back out there.McAdoo was not pleased with the offensive performance.We left six balls on the ground and threw two interceptions, McAdoo said. Thats not the way we wanted to start the season. We wanted to run the ball and definitely, early on, I felt like we were running the ball well. We just didnt finish well. We need to execute better. When you leave six balls on the ground and throw two interceptions, youre not happy with anything.McAdoo was asked why there were so many fumbles.We had a couple of bad exchanges that we didnt handle well, McAdoo said. Our pocket didnt look clean at times. Only time will tell.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Claude Giroux Flyers Jersey . The winner Saturday will remain in the elite 10-team field next year. 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That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. MINNEAPOLIS -- The most poignant moment in Kevin Garnetts retirement video comes when he looks toward the Target Center rafters, uttering Man, almost in disbelief that a 21-year career was finally coming to an end.We going to be all right, man, he says. I dont expect this to be easy. But so far so good.Garnett may have been talking to the Minnesota pups he spent the last season and a half mentoring. He may have been talking to his adoring fan base. And he may have been talking to himself as he braces for a life that doesnt revolve around basketball for the first time since he was a little boy.Three days after Garnett made his big announcement, the Timberwolves gathered to open a season full of promise and sounded determined to carry his fiery torch forward.Hes a Hall of Famer, been in the league so long, forward Andrew Wiggins said Monday, a day before the opening of training camp. He came back to mentor us players. No one else is here to do that for us. Now weve got to go out on our own. The Wolves are moving forward with a roster that includes nine players with three years or less of experience. The late Flip Saunders brought Garnett back in a trade with Brooklyn in February 2015 because the team was so young and needed some veteran leadership. They gravitated to his charismatic approach and incredible understanding of the game, but have grown tired of having their struggles justified by their lack of experience.When KG retired, I was like, `Its time for us to step up and start winning some games, forward Shabazz Muhammad said. Thats the same thing KG would say. The `young thing is getting kind of old for us.Garnett announced his retirement on Friday, and it is entirely possible he wont be heard from publicly for quite some time. He once said he would disappear from the spotlight after he left and that those looking for him would have to start combing YMCA pickup games in Malibu. The Timberwolves hope he will remain in the fold in some capacity, at least long enough for them to honor him as the greatest player in franchise history.Theres usually a point where when a player does finish up, he takes a step back, gathers himself and then you move forrward from there, new coach Tom Thibodeau said.dddddddddddd Whatever he decides to do, Im sure he will be a great success at it because of the drive that he has, who he is as a person, his intelligence.His No. 21 jersey will one day hang in the Target Center rafters, right next to the No. 2 of his close friend Malik Sealy, who died in a car accident 16 years ago. When that happens may be up to him.I would hope that there is something that he would want to do with us so that we can recognize him for the wonderful career he had and our appreciation for him, owner Glen Taylor told The Associated Press. Thats something we can do before the start of the season and work that out. Im looking forward to doing that, but I think its yet to come up in our discussions.These are sensitive times in the relationship between the franchise and the icon. Tension surrounded the negotiation of Garnetts buyout -- the same arrangement Tim Duncan secured with the Spurs this summer. It was the product of Garnetts lack of trust in Taylor, which originated from a bitter parting when the Wolves traded Garnett to the Celtics in 2007.Saunders was able to rebuild the bridge and orchestrate what appeared to be a fairy tale ending to Garnetts career. Garnett had hoped to own a piece of the Wolves and wield influence over the franchises major basketball decisions.But the Wolves had to move forward after Saunders died last October, and after Taylor brought in two minority partners this summer, the odds of Garnett one day joining the ownership group were dramatically reduced.In a potentially positive sign, Garnetts goodbye video featured him walking alone in an empty Target Center and closed with a picture of his black Timberwolves jersey. And everyone in the franchise hopes that this time around the sides will finish on good terms.I always told him when the season was coming to an end that he could leave on his own terms and that no matter what I will always be his little brother, Karl-Anthony Towns said. I told him whatever he decides, Im always for him. ' ' '