A look at the highs and lows the first half of the season for the Atlanta Falcons and what to expect the second half:

Midseason MVPs: The co-MVPs are wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Devonta Freeman, who guided the Falcons to a 5-0 start. Jones set the tone early with three consecutive games of 100-plus receiving yards to start the season, then Freeman followed with three consecutive 100-plus yard rushing games after beginning the season behind rookie Tevin Coleman in the rotation. Jones had folks envisioning a 2,000-yard season after he gained 440 receiving yards (34 receptions) with four touchdowns in those first three games, although his production dropped off after the offense became stagnant. He still reached 1,000 yards after nine games. As for Freeman, he had 10 touchdowns in the first six games and became a Fantasy Football hero. Now the Falcons need Jones and Freeman to be healthy the rest of the way and continue to produce.

Best moment: The sideline reaction after cornerback Robert Alford intercepted Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins in overtime and returned it 59 yards for a score will remain a vision in the heads of Falcons fans throughout the season. It reflected the infectious energy new Falcons coach Dan Quinn has brought to the franchise, with Quinn reacting to Alford's winning score just as enthusiastically as his players. It also represented the true meaning behind teamwork, with linebacker Nathan Stupar's pressure off the blitz leading to the Cousins turnover and Alford's pick-six.

Worst moment: The horrendous shotgun snap by center Mike Person on second-and-goal from the Tampa Bay 4-yard line that resulted in a turnover and wiped away a scoring opportunity was a big reason why the Falcons dropped a 23-20 overtime decision to the Buccaneers at home. The whole scene looked more like a skit from "The Three Stooges" as Ryan and Freeman were unable to recover Person's snap. It was the ugliest of four turnovers in a game the Falcons should have won, especially against a division foe. Quinn's decision in San Francisco to go for a field goal rather than a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 1 trailing by four late ranks right up there with Person's blunder.

Mark your calendar: The Dec. 13 NFC South matchup between the Falcons and Panthers in Charlotte should be fun. Carolina jumped out to an 8-0 start thanks to quarterback Cam Newton and a suffocating defense. But the last time these teams met at Bank of America Stadium, the Falcons walked away with a 19-17 win. And that was a bad Falcons team. The Panthers are trying to win their third division title in a row, so the last thing they want is to lose their home-field edge. The teams will face each other two weeks later (Dec. 27) at the Georgia Dome.

Key to second half: The Falcons won't enjoy the success they want unless Ryan and the offense starts playing at a high level. A bad loss to the 49ers right before the bye week displayed how predictable and stagnant the offense could look, so offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has to rectify the situation. Defensively, the Falcons can't expect to replicate the dominant defenses Quinn had as the defensive coordinator for Seattle. They should, however, be able to generate much more of a pass rush than they have, particularly with a player as talented as rookie Vic Beasley Jr. up front. On special teams, Matt Bryant had a few uncharacteristic missed field goals attempts, so he has to get those out of his system. And the expected return of all-time great Devin Hester in Week 13 from a turf toe injury should significantly boost the team's field position in the kick return game, although Eric Weems showed flashes as Hester's replacement.