FOXBORO, Massachusetts (Ticker) -- The Bill Parcells Reunion Tour makes its third and final stop Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys visit the New England Patriots. Don't expect Bob Kraft or Bill Belichick to put out the welcome mat.
After leading the Patriots to the Super Bowl following the 1996 season, Parcells departed on bitter terms with Kraft, the Patriots owner who tried to strip the coach of some of his personnel power. That did not sit well with Parcells, who said "if you're going to cook the dinner, you ought to shop for the groceries."
New England's 35-21 loss to Green Bay in Super Bowl XXXI turned out to be Parcells' last game with New England. Shortly after, Parcells was courted by the New York Jets and Kraft demanded heavy compensation for his disgruntled coach. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue stepped in and awarded four draft picks to the Patriots as compensation.
Parcells took Belichick with him to serve as his defensive coordinator and lasted three years with the Jets, reaching the AFC championship game in 1998. After the 1999 season, Parcells stepped down as coach and handed the reins to Belichick.
But Belichick turned down the offer from Parcells, saying he did not feel confident in the Jets' ownership situation after the death of Leon Hess and accepted an offer from Kraft to coach the Patriots. Of course, the Jets received a draft pick as compensation.
In 2001, Belichick guided the Patriots to the first Super Bowl title in franchise history. After missing the playoffs with a 9-7 record last season, Belichick has the Patriots in first place in the AFC East, two games ahead of Miami.
Parcells was lured out of retirement by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the 2003 season and has made an instant impact. Taking over a team that finished 5-11 each of the previous three seasons, Parcells has the Cowboys in first place in the NFC East with a 7-2 record.
"It ended up good for both of us," Parcells said. "He (Belichick) won a Super Bowl for New England and I'm happy in Dallas."
"Bill (Parcells) and I haven't coached together in five years and a lot has changed in five years," Belichick said.
Parcells won two Super Bowl titles in 1986 and 1990 for the New York Giants with Belichick as his defensive coordinator.
On his Reunion Tour, Parcells went to Giants Stadium and beat both the Giants and Jets in September in his first year as Cowboys coach.
Only 11 of New England's 51 players on the active roster have played for Parcells. But cornerback Ty Law, receiver Troy Brown, linebackers Ted Johnson and Tedy Bruschi and kicker Adam Vinatieri were among the players on the 2001 championship team that were either drafted or signed by Parcells.
"Parcells was a fun coach to play for, but he's the enemy right now, so we have to go out there and win," Law said.
Law will probably spend Sunday night covering Terry Glenn, a receiver on the Patriots' 1996 Super Bowl team. Acquired by Parcells from the Green Bay Packers in the offseason for a draft pick, Glenn leads the Cowboys with 33 receptions for 451 yards and five touchdowns.
"He's playing like the old Terry Glenn I know," Law said. I always thought he was one of the more talented receivers in the game."
But the Cowboys also have Joey Galloway and Antonio Bryant at the other receiver positions and Dan Campbell and rookie Jason Witten at tight end.
Look for Belichick to use his multiple fronts and disguised coverages to try and confuse Dallas' Quincy Carter, who threw for just 116 yards in last week's 10-6 victory over Buffalo.
But it is Dallas which has the NFL's No. 1 ranked defense and has allowed the fewest points (136).
"They are very fast and they blitz a lot," Belichick said. "They have some big-hitting safeties and the corners cover well. They have some good pass rushers ... they get on you quick.
Belichick especially singled out second-year player Roy Williams as one of the most physical safeties he has ever seen and heaped lavish praise on Cowboys rookie cornerback Terence Newman.
Coming off a bye week, the Patriots own a five-game winning streak.
Dallas leads the series, 7-1, but the Patriots won the last meeting, 13-6 in 1999.
