After a demoralising loss to Hawthorn on Saturday night, the bye couldn't have come at a better time for the wounded Crows.
Adelaide head into the mid-season break staring down the very real possibility of missing finals just a year after playing in the 2017 decider.
The 56-point defeat at the MCG, their first appearance on the ground since the 48-point grand final loss to Richmond, sees them go into the week off with a 6-7 record.
While not panic stations just yet, a look at Adelaide's fixture list might have some at West Lakes a little nervous.
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After the bye, Don Pyke's side take on West Coast (home), Richmond (away) and Geelong (home).
The first-placed Eagles have looked the goods against every team not named Sydney this season, a trip to face the Tigers at the MCG is about as daunting as it gets and the Cats' star-studded team is purring along nicely in the top four.
12 wins has historically been enough to play finals, but Melbourne (2017), St Kilda (2016) and Port Adelaide (2015) have all hit that mark and missed out in recent years.
If the Crows go winless over their next three, they would need to go perfect over the final six rounds, including games against Melbourne, Port Adelaide, GWS and North Melbourne.
Pyke discussed the team's current form after the loss to the Hawks.
"We're not playing well," Pyke said.
"We've got experienced players who are not playing well, they're not in great form and as a group it looks like it's a bit hard at the moment.
"We head off for a break which has come at a good time.
"[It's an] opportunity for guys to reflect on the season and for us as coaches to think about 'where to from here?'."
The Crows were on the wrong end of a 44-0 third quarter in which they lost the clearance count 18-1, something Pyke focussed on in his press conference.
"That's a genuine touch up," Pyke said.
"We pride ourselves on being a strong contested possession team and when you hand up that sort of advantage to a side like Hawthorn and they're able to run forward, it just gave them field position and gave them confidence and they were able to hit the scoreboard."
Heading into the bye, the coach said there was only one way they were going to turn their form around after four losses on the trot.
"We've just got to train. Sport doesn't give you an easy out," he said.
"We've got to train it, we've got to get guys back in a headspace where they're able to bring the strengths that they've got...there's no easy way out of these situations. We've got to do the work."
If there is a positive for Adelaide, their long injury list didn't get any longer in round 13 and they should welcome back some key players after the bye.
Pyke said Rory Sloane, Rory Laird, Tom Lynch and Luke Brown were all expected to face the Eagles in round 15 after overcoming injuries.
The Crows will be desperately hoping the added experience and class, as well as a week off to recharge the batteries, can rejuvenate a season which began with so much promise but has yet to take off.
