TEXANS TAKE OVER TOP SPOT IN AP'S POWER RANKINGS: NEW YORK (AP) — The top of the AP Pro32 power rankings is a tough spot to hold.
The Houston Texans became the fourth team in as many weeks to sit first overall in the rankings. Fresh off an impressive victory at Denver to go 3-0 for the first time, Houston replaced San Francisco as the No. 1 team in voting Tuesday by 12 media members who regularly cover the NFL. Houston earned nine first-place votes and 380 points.
"Decisive win in Denver and big-time performance from Matt Schaub, losing part of his ear in the process," 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon of CBS Sports and Sirius XM radio said.
VEGAS BOOKS: $300M+ CHANGED HANDS WITH NFL CALL: LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas oddsmakers say $300 million or more changed hands worldwide on a controversial referee call that decided the Monday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks.
Sports book chief Jay Kornegay said Tuesday that bettors at The LVH casino registered shock, some celebration, then anger when the outcome swung the game in favor of Seahawks bettors.
"We've seen regular refs blow calls. That's always been part of the sport," Kornegay said. "But this one was just a blatant bad call at the end of the game that decided the outcome of the game."
RAIDERS SIGN LB VIC SO'OTO: ALAMEDA (AP) — The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent linebacker Vic So'oto.
Oakland released linebacker Carl Ihenacho on Tuesday to make room on the roster for So'oto.
So'oto played seven games with Green Bay last season as an undrafted free agent out of BYU. The second cousin of late All-Pro linebacker Junior Seau had seven tackles and one sack for Green Bay.
The Raiders also released defensive tackle Vaughn Meatoga from the practice squad.
BOXING
MAYWEATHER, PACQUIAO SETTLING DEFAMATION CASE: LAS VEGAS (AP) — Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are settling a federal defamation case in Las Vegas, clearing a key hurdle to a long-awaited bout between two top fighters who've traded verbal jabs for years but have never met in the ring.
Terms of the pretrial agreement cited in documents filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas are confidential, said Malcolm LaVergne, a lawyer representing Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s father in the case.
LaVergne said documents filed under seal ask U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks to dismiss the lawsuit, and that others involved in the case were preparing a public statement. Documents filed publicly said each side would bear its own attorney fees and costs.
