The Patriots’ Brandon Meriweather intercepts a pass intended for the Broncos’ Darrell Jackson during Monday night’s rout at Gillette Stadium.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

FOXBORO –– Well, the Red Sox just missed getting back to the World Series, but the Patriots –– decisive 41-7 winners Monday night over Denver –– sure look like they’ll be going back to the Super Bowl.

Just kidding.

Nobody –– not even coach Bill Belichick, I suspect –– can predict exactly where this 2008 Patriots season is going, but it’s a good bet it won’t be ending with a game in Tampa, as the Sox’ did Sunday night.

We’re only six games in and already this Patriots’ season has veered in more directions than Sammy Morris did in the first half against the Broncos, when he darted, cut, slashed and powered his way to a career-high 138 rushing yards on 16 carries.

Which team, Pats fans must wonder, is the real one?

Is it the one that demolished the previously 4-2 Broncos? The one that looked like the unbeatable, high-scoring Patriots of 2007, racking up 20 points by halftime, and 34 through three quarters? The one with a quarterback who, although he was sacked six times, threw for three touchdowns without an interception? The one that rushed for 257 yards, the team’s highest total in 23 years? The one with a defense that forced five turnovers –– intercepting two passes and recovering three fumbles?

We certainly hope so.

Or is the real Patriots team the one that was shellacked in San Diego the week before? The one that was shredded for 306 yards through the air, giving up one long pass after another? The one that couldn’t get the ball into the end zone from the 1-yard in four tries? The one that didn’t score a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter, when it trailed 30-3?

We certainly hope not.

But there is no way to be certain which Patriots team is the real deal.

Is it the one that, with backup quarterback Matt Cassel making his first start since he was in high school, went into the Meadowlands and defeated a detested division rival in the New York Jets, 19-10?

Or is it the one that, the following week, was mauled at home by the Miami Dolphins –– another AFC East foe, albeit one that had lost 20 of its previous 21 games –– 38-13?

How are we to know?

How can we be sure, in a pro football world that is constantly changing, where these 2008 Patriots stand in comparison to the rest of the NFL?

What we do know, of course, is that, despite their prolific point production against Denver’s dismal defense, –– the Broncos came in ranked last in the league in pass defense and 26th of 32 in rushing defense –– these Patriots are not remotely close to being the offensive juggernaut they were with NFL MVP Tom Brady at quarterback.

There’s no way they could be.

Cassel has proven capable of, as Belichick likes to say, “managing” a game. Whether he’s capable of winning one, when it’s necessary for the QB to carry the team on his shoulder pads –– or right arm, as the case may be –– is another question.

He’s already been sacked 25 times –– four more than Brady was in all of last year’s 16-0 season. That’s due more to a lack of recognition than a lack of protection. Given his lack of experience –– and, compared to the incomparable Brady, his lack of ability –– it’s understandable that Cassel doesn’t read defenses as quickly as Tom Terrific. So, rather than risk making a mistake, he winds up eating the ball instead of throwing it downfield.

It helps immensely, of course, when the Patriots can run the way they did against the Broncos. What doesn’t help is that the Pats just put 2006 first-round bust –– I wasn’t going to call him that, but now feel I must –– Laurence Maroney on Injured Reserve for the remainder of the season, leaving them with the 31-year-old Morris, soon-to-be-30 Lamont Jordan, and rookie free agent BenJarvus Green-Ellis, recently promoted from the practice squad.

That’s a far cry from the days when the Pats could choose between Craig James and Tony Collins, or Sam Cunningham and Andy Johnson. Or, for that matter, Jim Nance all by himself.

Morris didn’t play the second half against Denver. He was sidelined, so the Pats said, because of a knee injury. He was seen walking out of the locker room under his own power, so it may not be too serious –– unlike the injury suffered by veteran strong safety, and emotional defensive leader, Rodney Harrison, which appears to be not only year-ending, but also, given Harrison’s age (36 in December) career-ending.

Given the problems that have reared their ugly heads in the New England secondary, the last thing the Pats needed was to lose a player like Harrison.

“It was hard to watch him go through what happened (Monday) night,” Belichick said yesterday, recalling how Harrison was carted off the field.

It’s hard to say what will happen on Sunday, when the Pats host the resurgent St. Louis Rams.

Lopsided losers of their first four games by a combined score of 147-43, the Rams have made a stunning turnaround in the last two weeks, after coach Scott Linehan was fired and replaced by Jim Haslett, who promptly reinstalled Marc Bulger as the starting quarterback.

Since then, the Rams have made a remarkable turnaround, going to Washington and stunning the Redskins, 19-17, then clobbering the Cowboys in St. Louis on Sunday, 34-14.

“They are playing,” Belichick said, “about as good as anybody in the league the last couple of weeks.”

As for his Patriots?

“I think the team is improving in every phase of the game,” Belichick said. “From Game One to Game Six there has been a lot of improvement on our football team. We just have to keep that on track and keep pushing forward.”

So far, it’s been one step forward for the 2008 Patriots, followed by one step back.

Which team, we have to wonder, will show up this Sunday?

jdonalds@projo.com