Unlike others, Adelaide coach Don Pyke never lost faith.
Pyke and his AFL club spent a week baking under an intense spotlight.
Some said Pyke had 'lost' his players; others called the Crows a spent force.
"Difficult week, when you have a lot of focus and attention on what you're doing as a footy club," Pyke said.
The Crows entered Sunday's encounter against Gold Coast with one win from four games. They departed with a 73-point victory and some credibility restored.
"I never lost faith or belief in the players and the character of those guys to respond the way they did," Pyke said.
"I'm just rapt for the players ... all credit to them."
Eddie Betts booted six goals in his 300th AFL game; Brodie Smith was best-on-ground dashing from half-back in his 150th top-level match.
Maligned co-captain Taylor Walker started clunking marks and booting goals - three of them.
And the Crows kicked 18.11 (119), breaking through the 100-point barrier for the first time this season.
But Pyke, renowned for his understatement, refused to get carried away.
"The reality for us, is it was a good, strong win," he said.
"And playing the way we wanted to play, we saw some really positive signs.
"But it's one win. It gets us four (premiership) points and it moves us to two (wins) and three (losses) so we're still below the ledger."
The Crows next travel to meet early-season surprise packets St Kilda (four wins, one loss) Saturday in Melbourne.
