When the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers square off, it’s like watching a Western showdown that’s been playing on repeat since the 1970s. These two NFL gunslingers have been trading shots for decades, serving up more drama than a Texas rodeo. But in 2023, this clash of titans took on a new flavor, with one side seemingly confusing October for February.

Netflix’s new series “Receiver” caught 49ers star Deebo Samuel dropping a truth bomb hotter than a jalapeno popper. “Hey man, they looking at this like the Super Bowl man,” Samuel chuckled before their October 9, 2023 showdown. “This is just another game in the schedule man. Let’s go punch them, show them what we do.” Talk about throwing shade darker than the Levi’s Stadium end zone!

Samuel’s jab hit harder than “The Catch” that haunted Dallas back in ’81. For those who missed that chapter in the NFL history books, it was the moment Joe Montana connected with Dwight Clark for a game-winning touchdown that sent the 49ers to the Super Bowl and the Cowboys home to lick their wounds. Since then, this rivalry has been spicier than a bowl of Texas chili.

Speaking of America’s most memorable owner, Jerry Jones couldn’t help but stir the pot. In a pre-game radio chat that had more praise than a Sunday sermon, he gushed, “They (49ers) are, right now, probably the most likely team to go win the Super Bowl.” He then added on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, with all the subtlety of a charging linebacker, “The bottom line is you’re playing the best. You don’t need the game to tell you you’re playing the best, but you need the game to show you how you stack up against the best.”

Well, stack up they did – like a house of cards in a tornado. The 49ers stomped the Cowboys 42-10, a beatdown so thorough it probably made Tom Landry’s fedora spin. This shellacking was just the latest chapter in a saga more one-sided than a Bill Walsh game plan. San Francisco had already sent Dallas packing from the playoffs in 2021 and 2022, leaving Cowboys fans feeling more cursed than the team that traded away Jimmy Johnson.

Remember when former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson famously quipped, “If you’re not a 49er, you’re nobody”? Well, in 2023, it seemed like the 49ers were determined to remind Dallas of that harsh truth. Over 40 matchups (including playoffs), the 49ers hold a slim 20-19-1 lead. But recently? It’s been all San Francisco, baby, and Deebo Samuel is the character in that legacy.

49ers’ Not-So-Secret weapon Deebo Samuel’s dominance

While the Cowboys were busy treating a regular-season game like the Super Bowl, Deebo Samuel was busy treating every touch like a potential touchdown. The man they call “Sweet Feet” (thanks, stepmom!) turned the 2023 season into his highlight reel.

Samuel’s stat line was more impressive than a Troy Aikman audible: 60 catches, 892 yards, and seven touchdowns through the air. On the ground? He galloped for 225 yards and five more scores on 37 carries. That’s more versatility than a Swiss Army knife at a camping convention.

Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers’ offensive mastermind, used Samuel like a chess grandmaster with a queen that can teleport. Jet sweeps, screen passes, deep routes – you name it, Deebo did it. He finished ninth in the league with 527 yards after catch, breaking tackles like they were Jerry Jones’ promises of a Cowboys Super Bowl.

Remember that game against the Rams? Samuel turned a high pass into a 57-yard touchdown, breaking free from defenders. Even the legendary Jerry Rice couldn’t help but tip his cap to that one.

As San Francisco looks to the future, Samuel’s role could expand faster than Jones’ excuses after a playoff loss. With trade rumors swirling around Brandon Aiyuk like a Dallas tornado, Deebo might need to channel his inner “wide back” even more. After all, in 2021, he led the league with 18.2 yards per catch.

So, as the 49ers and Cowboys continue their dance more intricate than a line at Billy Bob’s, one thing’s clear: Deebo Samuel’s ready to two-step all over anyone who stands in San Francisco’s way. And if Jerry Jones wants to treat every matchup like the Super Bowl? Well, that’s just fine by the 49ers – they’ll keep treating it like what it is: just another day at the office.