The front page of the print edition of yesterday’s Daily Times asked a simple question.

It asked if the Eagles, who were booked for an appearance on Monday Night Football, and coming off a lousy showing in their opening-day loss to the Packers, were ‘Ready for Prime Time?’

Last night the Birds, in front of a packed Lincoln Financial Field, offered the faithful a resounding answer:
No.

Ironically, that front page pictured both Eagles head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Donovan McNabb.

Neither of them looked especially ready to strut their stuff on national TV either.
That’s oh-and-2, fans. The Birds lost, 20-12. They failed to get in the end zone.

All of their points came courtesy of the left foot of field goal kicker David Akers.
That’s woe-and-2 for all those who trekked to the Linc for the home opener. But there is some good news for them. At least they did not have insult added to injury in the form of one Charles Barkley. The former Sixers great spent much of the third quarter in the booth with the Monday night TV crew bashing Philly fans.

Yes, hard to believe, but they again relived the fact that Donovan McNabb actually was booed on Draft Day when he was selected by the Eagles.

He was booed last night, too. On merit.

Give Donovan credit for getting back on the field in time for the opener after last season’s devastating knee injury. Whether he should be on the field, and if at this point he can be an effective quarterback, is now open to debate. And expect it to be talked about all week.

Last night Donovan was throwing the ball all over the yard. That is not especially new. McNabb never was, and likely never will be, a tremendously accurate quarterback. But he always made up for it with his mobility, able to buy time and still make big plays. That potential no longer seems to be there. Or at least it isn’t at this point in McNabb’s recovery.

His receivers aren’t exactly giving McNabb much in the way of targets. They don’t appear to be ready for prime time, either.

Of course, Reid and the Eagles brass threw away their security blanket in the offseason. They decided they simply weren’t going to pay the guy who saved their bacon last year, Jeff Garcia, big money to be for most of the season a backup to McNabb. Whether their fortunes would be different at this point with Garcia running this offense while McNabb continues to mend we’ll never know.

That is not the same thing as never talking about it. We’ll talk about it endlessly this week.

For his part, Reid said after the game that, on both sides of the ball, the team is “off a hair.” Yeah, if you’re talking about Lady Madonna. This team is playing more like Britney Spears with a shaved mug.

Reid also said he needs to do a better job of putting guys in position to make plays. Sound familiar?

How bad were the Eagles? They got outscored by the Phillies, 13-12. And our fightin’ Phils? Up 11-0 at one point in that game? Don’t get me started.

That’s two losses, both to NFC opponents. The Eagles are now looking up at both the ‘Skins and Cowboys, both of whom are 2-0.

On Sunday the Lions come to town. They also happen to be 2-0.

The Eagles will wear their throwback jerseys to honor the team’s 75th anniversary. Hopefully they won’t throw up all over the field as they have in their first two games.