Super Bowl 51: Best photos of the first half

Here are the best photos from Super Bowl 51.

Through a surprising first half of Super Bowl 51, the Atlanta Falcons have pretty much handled the favorite New England Patriots. The Patriots did not put a mark on the scoreboard until late in the first half, and even that was just a field goal when a touchdown looked inevitable before a penalty.

The notable plays through 30 minutes at NRG Stadium in Houston have centered on the Falcons, with three touchdowns scored and two turnovers forced by the defense. There’s still a whole half to play, and writing off the Patriots and Tom Brady is not advised, but right now a Super Bowl upset is in the offing.

With Lady Gaga leaving the halftime stage and the second half coming, are the best photos from Super Bowl 51 so far.

One of the stars of the first half was Falcons’ running back Devonta Freeman, with 71 yards on six carries. For the game’s first score, Freeman finished his run in the air.

The Patriots seemed to taking back some momentum with a solid, albeit with the help of a couple Atlanta penalties. Then right on cue, cornerback Robert Alford made a big play with an 82-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Freeman broke off a 37-yard run in Atlanta’s first offensive play, and routinely left Patriots defenders off-balance during the first half. Rob Ninkovich and Duron Harmon are the victims in this photo.

Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones had a mostly quiet first half, with just three catches. But they went for a total of 60 yards, and Jones showed off the body control of a much smaller receiver by deftly dragging his toes here.

Tom Brady’s first half stat line does not look that bad (16-for-26 for 184 yards), but one interception, two sacks taken and multiple times under pressure has surely left him seeking answers. A lonely walk to the sideline, indeed.