[1] The Patriots came into the 1999 season without second-year running back Robert Edwards due to a serious knee injury, after rushing for over 1,100 yards in 1998.
Following the season finale third year head coach Pete Carroll was fired,[3] while vice president of player personnel Bobby Grier was retained until the 2000 NFL draft.
Drew Bledsoe completed key first downs to Terry Glenn and Troy Brown, setting up the game-winning Adam Vinatieri field goal of a 30–28 Patriots win.
The Patriots committed 15 penalties eating up 135 yards and trailed 28–7 at halftime in Peyton Manning's second career trip to Foxboro.
Edgerrin James was then stripped by Tebucky Jones, setting up the game-winning Vinatieri field goal of a 31–28 Patriots comeback.
Dan Marino was injured after throwing an interception returned by Andy Katzenmoyer for a 57-yard touchdown and was replaced by future Patriots backup quarterback Damon Huard.
The game marked a fatal turning point to the Patriots season as Coates' public protest soured his relationship with Bledsoe and coach Pete Carroll; the Patriots fell from 6–2 to finish a dismal 8–8; Coates for his part had only sixteen catches the remainder of the season before he was let go and joined the Baltimore Ravens.
The Patriots entered this game on a three-game losing streak and having never beaten the Cowboys in their history; this was the eighth career meeting between the two clubs.