San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said during his Monday news conference that he expects the New York Giants to be a "much different than the team we played earlier" when the 49ers and Giants meet Sunday at Candlestick Park in the NFC Championship Game (6:30 p.m. ET/FOX).
"Healthier is the biggest thing, especially on the defensive side of the ball," Harbaugh said.
Related: Tom Coughlin Monday News Conference
The 49ers defeated the Giants, 27-20, earlier in the season when defensive end Justin Smith batted down an Eli Manning pass on fourth-and-two from the San Francisco 10-yard line in the waning seconds to seal a victory.
"Probably surprises a lot of people that the Giants and the 49ers are in the NFC Championship Game," Harbaugh said.
The Giants upset the Packers Sunday, while the 49ers outlasted the high-powered offense of the New Orleans Saints, 36-32.
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