Shepard: Sideline freakout was ‘built-up frustration’

Sterling Shepard took a look at his actions on the sideline during last Sunday’s 33-31 loss at Charlotte and did not like what he saw. Not at all.

“That’s not me,’’ he said Tuesday. “I don’t ever do anything like that. I just let my emotions get the best of me right there. It won’t ever happen again.’’

Shepard had a catch for 28 yards and another for 26 yards late in the third quarter, with the Giants trailing 20-16 and driving. Eli Manning then targeted Odell Beckham Jr., but the pass was intercepted by safety Mike Adams. The Fox cameras caught Shepard slamming his hand into the bench and then flinging a garbage can. Beckham came over to try to calm down his fellow wide receiver.

“Man, just built-up frustration,’’ Shepard said. “I also had some family stuff going on before the game. I really wanted to win that game and I felt it slipping away at that moment, and I let my emotions get the best of me. It wasn’t related to the play at all.

“I don’t even like watching it. I just lost it real quick. It’s an emotional game. It happens sometimes, but I can’t let it happen like that. I’ve got to find a better way to channel my frustration.’’

Finding no takers for offensive tackle Ereck Flowers, as expected, the Giants waived their 2015 firstround draft pick, ending an era that turned out to be an error. Flowers was the No. 9 pick in the draft and the best thing that can be said about him is that he was durable.

Brian Mihalik was signed off the practice squad to fill Flowers’ spot on the roster. Mihalik, 26, was signed Sept. 13 and is a towering 6-foot-9, 315-pound offensive tackle. He was a 2015 seventh-round pick of the Eagles out of Boston College, kicked around with the Steelers and played in 15 games for the Lions in 2017, starting twice. Mihalik becomes the swing tackle, the first man off the bench if anything happens to Nate Solder or Chad Wheeler.

“Brian’s a guy, we’ve liked him all along, he’s been with us now for a while so he knows what we’re doing,’’ coach Pat Shurmur said. “He’s played in games for Detroit, and we’ve liked what we’ve seen in practice, and he’s gotten his promotion.’’

Linebacker Olivier Vernon, trying to start his season after missing the first five games with a high ankle sprain, practiced on a limited basis, just as he did last week. Shurmur thought Vernon was likely to be available to face the Panthers and said “I’m more hopeful’’ Thursday night’s game against the Eagles will be Vernon’s 2018 debut.