Down by 23 points nine minutes into the final term after trailing almost all match, the Magpies piled on 11 unanswered goals to storm to a 20.15 (135) to 14.8 (92) win.
What was a desperate struggle turned into a highlights reel, as Andrew Krakouer (three goals) contributed a high-flying mark of the year contender and some brilliant snaps.
Scott Pendlebury slotted an ice-cool set shot from nearly 50 metres 18 minutes into the last term to give the premiers the lead, but there were seven more majors to come.
Dale Thomas bombed a long-range torpedo goal, while Chris Tarrant kicked two last-term goals, after being moved from defence for the second half.
The Magpies' field kicking and goal-shooting was poor in the first half, when they scored 2.10.
But Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse credited his side's ability to gradually get on top at stoppages for turning the tide, after Adelaide's Scott Thompson had dominated that area for much of the match.
Malthouse added his key forwards, particularly Tarrant, provided better contests, and the crumbing players started to capitalise.
"We were just dreadful at crumbing in the first half, we just expected to take marks," Malthouse said.
But Craig said it was the Magpies' ability to contest hard for the ball right throughout that match, while Adelaide faded badly in that area, that cost his side.
"They've got to understand that they can produce a brand of football that was, I thought, outstanding, for a long period of time," Craig said of the Crows.
"But we've also got to understand that we've still got a bit of a soft underbelly for a real thirst for the contest in a real tough contest.
"You've got to be really good at the contested part of the game to play Collingwood and you've got to be able to sustain it.
"They play a very strong contested game and that's the way AFL footy is going.
"The beauty of us today was we were able to demonstrate to our supporters that we've got a quality and a standard that we can get to.
"But we can not sustain it like the Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorn-type teams at the moment."
Craig said it was a mixture of mental and physical fatigue that sapped the Crows, both of which were symptoms of inexperience, with many of Sunday's team having played fewer than 20 AFL games.
Malthouse stunned
It takes a lot to surprise Mick Malthouse but Collingwood's stunning burst of 11 consecutive last-quarter goals did the trick.
"No one - not me, the players, no one - expected to kick 11 goals," said Malthouse, a veteran of 28 years as an AFL coach.
"I don't think I've ever been part of a side that's kicked 11 goals."
Malthouse said the second-placed Magpies had been disorganised and he did not know why.
It came down to pride to spark Collingwood's fightback.
"It wasn't one magical click the fingers and all of a sudden it happened," Malthouse said.
"But somehow or other football finds a way of surprising us all.
"I don't think we did anything exceptional, outside the fact that they showed an enormous amount of pride.
"Good football sides must have that pride of performance.
"When you're challenged and we were absolutely challenged today, this is not a 43-point victory, this is a get out of jail."
The Magpies have kicked at least six last-quarter goals in six of their eight matches.
- AAP
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