And in a further blow, key playmaker Marc Murphy came off second best in a clash with Patrick Dangerfield and was subbed out of the game at half-time with a left shoulder injury.
The result comes on the back of the Blues' disappointing loss to St Kilda and left coach Brett Ratten to once again lament his players' inability to bring the requisite physical intensity to the contest.
"Our players knew exactly where the Adelaide Crows sat on the ladder and what their output was, so we didn't get surprised by what they delivered today," Ratten said.
"Our challenge was to equal it or better it, and really we didn't come up to the mark by a long way."
The emphatic victory broke Adelaide's 15-game losing streak in Victoria, and ensures Adelaide has enjoyed the best start in its history.
Dangerfield was typical of Adelaide's approach, with the hard-at-it midfielder gathering 35 possessions as his side won in Melbourne for the first time since round 22, 2009.
Scott Thompson continued his stellar run of performances with a 30-disposal effort, which included 11 clearances as the Crows continued their dominance in contested possessions and clearances - finishing the game ahead in both key categories.
"The pressure was certainly one of the highlights for us," Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson said after the game.
"As coaches, we were sitting in the box and a couple of times we just had to sit back and [say] 'have a look how hard they're crashing in at the contest'.
"That wasn't just one or two players - that was the whole 22. Everyone who put on a Crows jumper today was ferocious in every aspect. They were desperate and they just didn't let up which is something I'm really impressed with."
Kade Simpson got the Blues off to a great start with the first two goals of the game, but Adelaide worked into the contest around the stoppages with Dangerfield the key contributor with 10 first-quarter possessions and a goal.
Chris Judd, who finished with 24 touches, was Dangerfield's equal under the packs with Carlton snatching back a three-point lead with Jeff Garlett's second goal with the last kick of the first term.
The intensity around at the stoppages lifted another notch in the second quarter and it was the Crows who responded.
Adelaide kept the Blues to just two behinds for the term, while adding five goals of its own, with a superb major from Josh Jenkins deep in a pocket pushing his side's advantage out to 26 points at the main break.
Carlton also suffered a huge blow during the term when key playmaker Marc Murphy came off second best in a clash with Dangerfield and was subbed out of the game at half-time with a left shoulder/AC joint injury.
Ratten switched Lachie Henderson from defence to attack in the second half and the move paid dividends when he goaled midway through the term, but it was one of just two majors to the Crows' four with Jenkins slotting a brilliant running effort and Ian Callinan adding two more to his tally.
The margin was 39 points at three-quarter time and Dangerfield snuffed out any hope of a Carlton fight back when he sharked the pack to kick a goal that sparked his side's final-term onslaught.
CARLTON 5.2 5.4 7.6 8.7 (55)
ADELAIDE 4.5 9.6 13.9 19.10 (124)
GOALS
Carlton: Garlett 3, Simpson 2, Thornton, Henderson, Kreuzer
Adelaide: Callinan 3, Vince 3, Tippett 3, Mackay 2, Jenkins 2, Dangerfield 2, van Berlo, Thompson, Porplyzia, Petrenko
BEST
Carlton: Scotland, Judd, Ellard, Jamison, Walker
Adelaide: Dangerfield, Thompson, Sloane, van Berlo, Callinan, Jacobs
INJURIES
Carlton: Murphy (shoulder/AC joint), Henderson (groin), Duigan (soreness)
Adelaide: Mackay (corked back)
SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Marc Murphy (shoulder/AC) replaced by Chris Yarran at half-time
Adelaide: David Mackay (back) replaced by Tom Lynch at three-quarter time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Farmer, Leppard, McInerney
Official crowd: 35,917 at Etihad Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
