Falcons bye week: Atlanta must focus on key improvements to continue winning ways

There are three things the Atlanta Falcons must focus on during the bye week to continue their winning ways this season, according to Dave Choate of SB Nation's Atlanta Falcons blog, The Falcoholic.

"These Falcons also have not hit their full potential just yet, aside from the brutal 27-3 shellacking of the San Diego Chargers," Choate wrote. "To gain entrance into the stratosphere of the NFL's perpetually elite teams, the Falcons need to fix a few issues, minor and otherwise."

The Falcons, who boast a perfect record of 6-0 and are the lone unbeaten team remaining in the NFL, need to make improvements in tackling, the run game and pass protection if they want to continue to win and make a run at the Super Bowl, according to Choate.

The Falcons rank 25th in the NFL with an 86.5 rushing yards per game average. Running back Michael Turner is "slowing down and becoming less of an asset," but the real problem goes back to blocking on the offensive line, according to Choate. When it comes to tackling, the secondary has been missing open-field attempts, and in pass protection, the offensive line has allowed quarterback Matt Ryan to be sacked 13 times.