But Andrew McQualter isn't yet prepared to say his Eagles have risen from their lengthy doldrums.
"We're evolving as a team, we're evolving as a club, and we feel like we're making progress," he said after a gutsy 13.14 (92) to 13.12 (90) victory at Adelaide Oval.
"But we're still going to have a lot of challenges in front of us."
The Eagles, who hadn't won successive matches since rounds six and seven in 2024, slipped 29 points down just five minutes into the second quarter.
McQualter admired the spirit of his players to fight back without veteran Elliot Yeo, who suffered a groin injury.
"The group's resilience is just starting to shine through," he said.
"Young and old players stood up in huge moments."
Port crashed to a one-two win-loss record under new coach Josh Carr with concern over key defender Esava Ratugolea who was sidelined for much of the second half because of a knee injury.
"The second and third quarters, we just lost our way in around the contest," Carr said.
"We probably fuelled a little bit of their pressure with some really fundamental errors ... and that gave them a bit of a sniff."
The Eagles were also fuelled by stalwart Jake Waterman's scoring output - he booted 4.4, including a 65 metre set shot in the last quarter.
"He told me it was 88 metres. I'm not sure it was quite that far, but it was a hell of a kick," McQualter said.
Waterman's bomb put the visitors 18 points up.
But Port then launched a desperate late charge with the next three goals - Whitlock's third had them one point down with one minute 48 seconds remaining.
But the Power, before 33,754 spectators, couldn't score again.
Eagles star Harley Reid (21 disposals, six clearances) and Bo Allan kicked two majors each and veteran Tim Kelly (23 disposals, six inside 50s) was superb.
No.1 draft pick Willem Duursma (20 possessions, one goal), second-gamer Josh Lindsay (19 touches), and Jobe Shanahan - who clunked a game-saving pack mark in the last minute - were among youngsters to impress.
Port attackers Mitch Georgiades and Jack Whitlock both booted three goals and Corey Durdin scored two.
But despite the ball-winning of acting captain Zak Butters (30 disposals), Kane Farrell (25) and Jase Burgoyne (21), the Power fell short.
Carr challenged his mid-tier group of players "that have played enough footy" to lift.
"There becomes a point when individuals, you put a line in the sand for yourself and you take accountability," he said.
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