The 2009 premiers put 23 goals past the Bombers, who trailed by just 18 points at half time but were blown away early in the third quarter as five straight goals opened up a 50-point Geelong lead.
"They're an amazing team," Knights said after the match. "They have the ability to raise the stakes and raise their play ... they were far too good.
"I wouldn’t have thought that premiership window is closing in a hurry. They don’t seem to be going backwards - if anything they seem to be improving.
"They're the most impressive team by far this season that I've seen."
The Dons had several bright spots in the gloom, with small forward Alwyn Davey lively early, and Michael Hurley kicking four goals barely 24 hours after beating a criminal conviction for assaulting a taxi driver in September last year.
Hurley was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond and ordered to donate $10,000 to charity after pleading guilty to fare evasion, recklessly causing injury and being drunk in a public place.
"For Michael it was a really pleasing performance tonight," Knights said.
"He played with good energy ... provided some spark when we needed it. I was really rapt ... considering he had a tough 24 hours.
"Let's hope now he can continue to play in that vein. He's a prodigious young talent and hasn't had a lot of continuity this year, even in the pre-season with the wrist injury he had."
The Bombers expect to regain tall defender Cale Hooker from a hamstring injury in the next week or two, and Knights said Hurley would continue to play a role at the other end of the ground.
"We're looking at the second half of the year being pretty bright for Michael," he said.
"He played well as a forward tonight. He led at the ball hard, gathered the ball down low well and kicked well.
"He's probably going to play more forward than back in the second half of the season I would have thought."
