PACK, PATS PREVAIL : GREEN BAY ELIMINATES CAROLINA GREEN BAY 30, CAROLINA 13.

Byline: Timothy W. Smith The New York Times

The Green Bay Packers served notice last year, in their National Football Conference championship loss in Dallas, that they would be next in line for the Super Bowl. It had taken them four years to work their way to the front of that line and for the last two years San Francisco and Dallas had shoved them away.

When Carolina, an expansion team a year ago, tried to cut in front of the Packers on Sunday, well, they just weren't going to take it. Not at Lambeau Field, with 60,216 human Popsicles screaming for Green Bay's first championship since 1967 and the echoes of all those past champions bouncing around the place.

Using all the forces at their command - single-digit temperatures, a minus-17 degree wind-chill factor, a wily young quarterback, a backbreaking rushing attack and a crushing defense - the Green Bay Packers beat back the challenge of the upstart Panthers with a 30-13 victory in the NFC championship game and took their place in Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans on Jan. 26.

They will play the New England Patriots, who fought off the league's other upstart, the Jacksonville Jaguars, with a 20-6 victory in the American Football Conference championship game and did their part to keep the two two-year-old expansion teams out of the Super Bowl.

``It was our time,'' Packers defensive end Reggie White said. ``We built up to it. Guys worked hard and dedicated themselves to it. Everybody in the organization deserves this, because they all worked hard to get here.''

White had spent the week dreaming of this game, but his dreams were disturbing.

``It was like we were being tormented, playing the game before we played it,'' White said. ``In one dream I tipped Kerry's pass, but I woke up before I knew the outcome of the game. Now, the dream has come true.''

Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre claimed it was more like a nightmare: He lamented the fact his leisure life was turned upside down and that last week's television viewing in Green Bay was just one long series of Packers programming.

``You can't even watch `Seinfeld' anymore, because everybody's got Packers coverage,'' Favre said.

Favre should pep up. Kramer's not going to the Super Bowl. But Favre is.

If the Packers play the way they played Sunday, then nothing can stop them from taking the final step: a Super Bowl championship. They shredded the Panthers' zone-blitzing defense, which had racked up a league-high 60 sacks during the season and had rattled every team Carolina faced. Green Bay rolled up 479 yards of total offense, with 201 coming on the ground and Favre throwing for 292 yards.

The Panthers' offense managed just 251 total yards (45 yards rushing). Linebackers Lamar Lathon and Kevin Greene, who had combined for 28 sacks this year, never laid a finger on Favre. The officials credited Panthers defensive tackle Mike Fox with a sack after he chased Favre and the quarterback fumbled the football and lost 14 yards.

``They played better than we did,'' Panthers linebacker Sam Mills said. ``They belong in New Orleans. The way we played we belong in Charlotte.''

Packers running back Dorsey Levens was a zone-blitz wrecking ball, rushing for 88 yards on 10 carries and catching five passes for 117 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown pass on which he lined up as a receiver and a 66-yard gain on a screen pass. Green Bay's starting running back, Edgar Bennett, gained 99 yards on 25 carries.

``Dorsey Levens was unbelievable,'' Packers receiver Don Beebe said. ``That just goes to show the depth of talent on this team. Here's a guy who doesn't even start on this team and he comes away from this game with 200 yards of total offense.''

That was only about 51 fewer yards in offense than the Panthers managed. Still, Carolina was able to stay within striking distance for almost three quarters thanks to a couple of Green Bay turnovers.

In the first quarter Favre threw a slant pass to Beebe that was picked off by Mills at the Packers' 12 and returned to the 2. Two plays later, Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to fullback Howard Griffith, who was wide open in the end zone, and that helped give Carolina a 7-0 lead. The Packers came back to tie it at 7 on Levens' 29-yard touchdown reception near the start of the second quarter.

NOTEBOOK

stat of the game

Green Bay held the ball for more than 38 minutes, compared to 21:57 for Carolina.

Quote of the Game

``It's very special. The locker room is a warm place to be right now.'' - Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren

The Hero

Dorsey Levens, Green Bay

The running back, usually overshadowed by teammate Edgar Bennett, had a day to remember. He had 205 total yards, 88 yards on 10 carries and 117 yards on five catches, including a 66-yard ramble with a screen pass that set up Bennett's 4-yard touchdown run.

The Goat

Anthony Johnson, Carolina

He was a key factor against Dallas last week, but he faltered badly in the chill of Green Bay. He was held to 31 yards on 11 carries and had a critical fumble at midfield in the second half with Carolina trying to get back in the game. Johnson had 1,120 rushing yards in the regular season and 104 in the victory over Dallas.

Noteworthy

The Packers are early 13-1/2-point favorites to defeat New England and extend the NFC's Super Bowl dominance to 13 consecutive games.

Bill Parcells will be the second coach to take two different teams to the Super Bowl. Don Shula lost with Baltimore and won with Miami, but Parcells could become the first to win with two different teams.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--color) Green Bay Packers defensive end Reggie White celebrates in the closing minutes of the frozen-tundra victory over Carolina.

(2) Green Bay Packers running back Dorsey Levens pulls in a touchdown reception in front of Carolina's Eric Davis in the second quarter.

Associated Press

Box: NOTEBOOK (see text)