Embattled New York Giants star Plaxico Burress was arrested and handcuffed like a common criminal yesterday in New York, and now two others could be charged for trying to cover up the incident: teammate Antonio Pierce and a hospital official who ignored the law by not calling police, several police and law enforcement sources said.

"We are investigating both the hospital's failure to report the shooting and Antonio Pierce's role that evening," Deputy commissioner Paul Browne, the NYPD's top spokesman, said after Burress surrendered and was charged with gun possession for accidentally shooting himself at Manhattan's Latin Quarter nightclub.

Day 3 of the Burress saga started with his morning surrender at 17th Precinct, with the mercurial wide receiver stepping out of a Cadillac Escalade and showing no sign he had suffered a bullet wound to his thigh early Saturday.

"Plax!" an onlooker screamed. "You're a bum!"

Later, with tourists and passers-by gawking, Burress went to Central Booking and was escorted into a courtroom, where, with his wife Tiffany in attendance, he was arraigned on gun possession charges and released after posting $100,000 bond.

Burress, who caught the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl XLII win over the Patriots, faces a grand jury probe and the possibility of at least 3 1/2 years in jail. He also may have played his last game as a Giant, as both the team and the NFL contemplate taking action against him.

Pierce, meanwhile, seemed confident he did nothing wrong. "I don't see myself getting arrested," he said yesterday in an interview on WFAN radio.

Police, however, said neither the Giants nor the NFL are fully cooperating.

The NFL, Browne said, reneged on its promise to make Pierce available yesterday and a similar promise to produce two Giants trainers also fell through.

The trainers, police sources said, may have been among those contacted by Burress and others to discuss treating the star without police finding out.

By late yesterday, one member of the Giants medical staff did talk to detectives, as did a players union official.

Previous reports described Burress as alerting club security to his gun and accidentally firing it as he tried to hand it over. Police, however, said that was not the case.

The shooting happened as Burress was being led to the club's VIP room, about 10 or 15 minutes after Burress' 1:20 a.m. arrival time, and that at least one member of the security staff knew Burress was armed, police said.

"He has a drink in one hand and the gun in his waistband," Browne said. "The gun begins to fall and he goes to grab it and it discharges."

The cover-up, police sources said, began almost immediately. The .40 caliber Glock was placed in the glove compartment of Pierce's Escalade and the teammates drove off, with a number of phone calls made before Burress arrived at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/ Weill Cornell Medical Center at 2:04 a.m., the sources said. Burress gave an alias, sources said, and the hospital never called police, as required by law.

BROWNS

QB ANDERSON DONE

Derek Anderson's season is officially over, yet another slap for down-on-its-luck Cleveland.

Anderson, who lost his starting quarterback job to Brady Quinn several weeks ago, will miss the final four games after tearing a ligament in his left knee Sunday against Indianapolis.

An MRI taken yesterday revealed Anderson tore the medial collateral ligament when he was sacked in the final minutes of Cleveland's 10-6 loss to the Colts. Anderson, making his first start since Nov. 2 after being benched for Quinn, will not need surgery. He will be placed in a brace and will need four to six weeks to recover.

Quinn, too, is done for the season with a finger injury.

The injuries to their top two QBs means the Browns (4-8) will start third-stringer Ken Dorsey on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans (11-1).

Dorsey won't have one of his favorite targets as tight end Kellen Winslow will sit out this week after sustaining a high ankle sprain Sunday.

ELSEWHERE

Cowboys: Dallas linebacker DeMarcus Ware and running back Marion Barber were not at practice yesterday, the first time the Cowboys were back on the field since both were hurt Thanksgiving Day. Coach Wade Phillips said both were "day to day." Ware, the NFL sacks leader, has a hyperextended left knee and Barber has a dislocated right pinkie toe.

Overseas game: The New England Patriots will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next season at Wembley Stadium, the third straight year the NFL will stage a regular-season game in the British capital. The game will be played Oct. 25. The Bucs will be listed as the home team, giving up a game in Tampa.

Lions: Detroit signed wide receiver Keary Colbert, giving him a chance to play for his third NFL team this season. The Lions added him to the roster when it put wide receiver Mike Furrey on injured reserve because of a concussion. Colbert was with Seattle and Denver this season.

Bears: Nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek will miss the final four games after rupturing his right biceps during a loss at Minnesota Sunday night, his third season-ending injury in as many NFL seasons.