Perfect season on the line

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Eskimos’ bid to stay perfect in 2017 will be put to the test tonight against the desperate, winless Hamilton Tiger-Cats, given Edmonton must do it while dealing with a tsunami of injuries that has sidelined 15 starters.

They’ll take to the field with a new kicker, a new long snapper and a new starting running back.

“I’ve never witnessed anything like it,” Eskimo head coach Jason Maas told reporters Thursday after a walk-through practice at Commonwealth Stadium.

“We’ve asked the questions why and can’t find an answer, so it’s just next man up and be ready to go.”

The Esks have 18 players on the six-game injury list and two on the one-game. Middle linebacker J.C. Sherritt and running back John White are done for the year and receiver Adarius Bowman is on the shelf with a hamstring injury.

They lost six players alone in last week’s 37-26 win over the B.C. Lions, including kicker Sean Whyte, long snapper Ryan King, safety Neil King, and starting running back Travon Van.

Van took over after White went down with a season-ending knee injury. LaDarius Perkins, a five-footeight high-speed cannonball coming off the practice roster, will now get his shot in the backfield.

“I’m just ready to get out there and get going,” said Perkins. “I’m here to fill in and do what I have to do.”

On paper, Friday’s game is a gruesome mismatch between two teams that bookend the CFL — Edmonton on top at 5-0, Hamilton at 0-5 and coming off an epic soul-sucking 60-1 beatdown at the hands of the Calgary Stampeders last week.

The Ticats have just five offensive TDs this season and are averaging just 18 points a game while giving up a league-worst 40.2 points per game.

They’re also managing a spate of injuries, including six players in the defensive backfield.