FIRST LOOK AT THE SUPER BOWL

Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos

* Time: Sunday, Jan. 25, 3:15 p.m.

* Site: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego

* TV: Channel 4

* Radio: KNX (1070)

* Records: Broncos 15-4, Packers 15-3

* The Line: Packers by 13 1/2

* Head to head: Have not met this season.

* Broncos by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--367.0 (1st)

Passing--218.4 (9th)

Rushing--148.6 (3rd)

Defense--291.9 (5th)

vs. Pass--179.3 (5th)

vs. Rush--112.7 (16th)

* Packers by the numbers (with NFL ranking):

Offense--350.9 (4th)

Passing--231.6 (3rd)

Rushing--119.3 (11th)

Defense--301.7 (7th)

vs. Pass--184.4 (8th)

vs. Rush--117.3 (20th)

* Broncos in the Super Bowl: Lost to Dallas, 27-10, in 1978; lost to New York Giants, 39-20, in 1987; lost to Washington, 42-10, in 1988; lost to San Francisco, 55-10, in 1990.

* Packers in the Super Bowl: Defeated Kansas City, 35-10, in 1967; defeated Oakland, 33-14, in 1968; defeated New England, 35-21, in 1997.

* Storyline: A year ago, the Green Bay Packers went into Super Bowl XXXI in search of the glory they had known under Coach Vince Lombardi in an earlier era and found it, whipping the New England Patriots, 35-21.

Green Bay hadn’t even qualified for football’s big show since winning the first two in 1967 and ’68.

Now Coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Brett Favre can equal the feat of Lombardi and quarterback Bart Starr with back-to-back Super Bowl victories.

How tough an act is that to follow?

Keep in mind that the Packers are trying to win a trophy that is named after Lombardi.

The Denver Broncos certainly don’t have a tough act to follow. For one thing, they are representing the American Football Conference, which has lost 13 consecutive Super Bowls.

For another, the Broncos have lost all four Super Bowls they’ve appeared in, the last three with quarterback John Elway.

Elway said before Sunday’s victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers that he will decide in the off-season if this, his 15th pro season, is to be his last.

What happens in San Diego may be the factor in determining what he does.

It’s a lot easier to leave if there is no unfinished business.

* They said it: Denver owner Pat Bowlen on how much it cost to build this Super Bowl team: “If you have to ask how much money you spend, you’re in the wrong business.”

* How they got here: After winning nine of their first 10 games, the Broncos lost two of their last three in the regular season to fall into a wild-card spot. But they blasted the Jacksonville Jaguars at Mile High Stadium, 42-17, edged the Chiefs in Kansas City, 14-10, and defeated the Steelers at Pittsburgh, 24-21, to become the sixth non-division winner to reach the Super Bowl. The Packers, the NFC Central champions, beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lambeau Field last week, 21-7, and the 49ers in San Francisco, 23-10, to qualify for the trip to San Diego.

* Now you know: The other non-division winners to reach the Super Bowl were Kansas City (1969), Dallas (1975), Oakland (1980), New England (1985) and Buffalo (1992).

BRONCOS’ SEASON (15-4)

Kansas City: W 19-3

at Seattle: W 35-14

St. Louis: W 35-14

Cincinnati: W 38-20

at Atlanta: W 29-21

New England: W 34-13

at Oakland: L 28-25

at Buffalo: W 23-20 (OT)

Seattle: W 30-27

Carolina: W 34-0

at Kansas City: L 24-22

Oakland: W 31-3

at San Diego: W 38-28

at Pittsburgh: L 35-24

at San Francisco: L 34-17

San Diego: W 38-3

Postseason

Jacksonville: W 42-17

at Kansas City: W 14-10

at Pittsburgh: W 24-21

PACKERS’ SEASON (15-3)

Chicago: W 38-24

at Philadelphia: L 10-9

Miami: W 23-18

Minnesota: W 38-32

at Detroit: L 26-15

Tampa Bay: W 21-16

at Chicago: W 24-23

at New England: W 28-10

Detroit: W 20-10

St. Louis: W 17-7

at Indianapolis: L 41-38

Dallas: W 45-17

at Minnesota: W 27-11

at Tampa Bay: W 17-6

at Carolina: W 31-10

Buffalo: W 31-21

Postseason

Tampa Bay: W 21-7

at San Francisco: W 23-10