By Kevin Kelly
Enquirer staff writer

Willie Anderson (Steven M. Herppich photo)

Bengals vs. Patriots

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Paul Brown Stadium TV: Ch. 12 (taped, 11:30 p.m.) Radio: WCKY-AM (1360), WOFX-FM (92.5)

GEORGETOWN, Ky. - The phone conversation began with a joke.

Corey Dillon teased Willie Anderson about lining up opposite the Bengals' offensive tackle for a couple plays Saturday.

But somewhere between the joke and the conversation's end last weekend, Dillon also offered Anderson this: an apology.

The former Cincinnati and current New England running back had been highly critical of Anderson and the Bengals during a guest appearance on Fox Sports' Best Damn Sports Show Period in March.

"Corey just came out and said he's far removed from what he said back then," Anderson said Thursday.

He was "kind of apologizing in his own kind of way. Basically like, 'I respect you. If we ever see each other, it's going to be all love and a hug.' We're cool."

Dillon, who gained a team-record 8,061 yards and was named to three Pro Bowls in his seven seasons with the Bengals, made it clear throughout last season that he did not want to return to the team in 2004.

Traded to the Patriots in April for a second-round pick - the Bengals chose defensive back Madieu Williams - Dillon returns to Cincinnati on Saturday, apparently at peace with himself and his new team.

"The way he talks and acts is different from the way it was here," said Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who keeps in contact with Dillon. "So I would guess, yeah, he's at peace. He likes it up there. That's what he wanted, and that's what he got. So, of course he's going to be at peace."

The Bengals host the defending Super Bowl champions at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Paul Brown Stadium. It will be the second of four preseason games for both teams.

Dillon rushed for 23 yards on five carries in New England's 24-6 win over the Eagles on Aug. 13.

"Our relationship is fine, just like when he left here," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "He works for another team now. Like I have said before, he was better in person than coaching against him. Now I have to coach against him."

The public back-and-forth between Dillon and Anderson, who forged a solid friendship early in their careers in Cincinnati, began after the 2003 season ended with a 22-14 loss against the Browns.

Dillon tossed his helmet, shoulder pads and cleats into the stands at Paul Brown Stadium after the game as a farewell gesture.

That did not sit well with Anderson.

Speaking to reporters the day after the season-ending loss, when Dillon cleaned out his locker, Anderson stated that Dillon's actions were hurtful to those who helped clear holes for him to run through each weekend. And he encouraged Dillon to leave the team if he wasn't willing to buy into Lewis' team-first approach.

"He wanted to get out of here real bad," Anderson said. "He felt he could go to another team and bring a winner there.

"We feel we can do it here in Cincinnati. It was a difference in philosophies and what we saw in our team."

More than seven months have passed, and part of Anderson wishes Dillon would have stayed to enjoy the team's turnaround.

"He's saying he only won 30 games here, but that was back during the time when special teams lost three or four games for us a year," Anderson said. "He broke the NFL record with no passing game. We didn't have (offensive coordinator Bob) Bratkowski and (quarterbacks Jon) Kitna and Carson (Palmer) and the receivers that we have now."

Anderson believes Dillon's departure was steered as much by fate as purpose.

"For your leading rusher to leave in the midst of his career, it had to happen for some reason," Anderson said. "I think both parties are hoping it happened for the good."

E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com