Matt Ryan’s never been flashy, but he’s gone the majority of his eight-year career as a safe and reliable – albeit boring – option, a guy that can take you to the postseason. And that’s kind of his appeal, until last season at least when poor play threatened his reputation, and forced fans to take a closer look at the former third overall pick.

Ryan is usually good for 4,500 passing yards or so, a touchdown total in the high 20s, and interception total in the mid-teens. His numbers dipped last year, in what was largely considered his most troubling since his early developmental years, but only slightly. Ryan finished with 4,591 passing yards (the third highest mark of his career), 21 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions.

Part of the reason Ryan’s standing took such a hit last year despite only marginally worse numbers than his career norms were the way he got to those totals. Particularly his interceptions. Even more particularly, the ones thrown late in the game. Five of the Falcons’ eight losses were by four points or fewer and three of those tight losses ended in Ryan interceptions. The man known as Matty Ice was decidedly un-clutch last season.

All of this leads to the question, is Ryan anything more than a league-average QB? After starting his career 56-24 and only missing the playoffs in one out of his first five seasons, Ryan has since led the Falcons to an 18-30 record, and, predictably, no postseason action. Still, last year was only the second season he finished outside the Top 10 in the major QB rating statistics, as flawed as they may be. For what it’s worth, the trendy Pro Football Focus rankings had Ryan ranked eighth overall in his down 2015.

If Ryan is to restore his reputation this year, he need only look to one guy for help (literally, as star receiver Julio Jones is the only reliable skill position player on Atlanta’s roster).

The 27-year-old Jones is a Top 5 receiver at least after posting career highs in receptions (136) and receiving yards (1,871) last year. And his eight touchdowns were just two shy of his career high as well. Other receivers, like the tolerable but overpaid Mohamed Sanu and the underwhelming Jacob Tamme, aren’t the tonic Ryan will need to will Atlanta back into the postseason.

And while running back Devonta Freeman was everybody’s darling last year – and surely helped win a few fantasy football championships – his 2015 has the look of a mirage; an outlier on what should probably be an otherwise mediocre career. After just 65 carries and an underwhelming 3.8 yards per carry average in his rookie 2014, Freeman burst out of the gate for nine touchdowns in his first six games. But Freeman’s hot start turned out to be a microcosm of the Falcons’ season, and the former fourth-rounder finished the season with a pedestrian 4.0 yards per carry average and 11 touchdowns. A realistic TD expectation for Freeman this year is probably closer to a half dozen, should he not lose too many carries to Tevin Coleman along the way.

Just to be fair, it’s not all doom and gloom for Ryan, who should enjoy playing behind one of the better offensive lines in the league after centre Alex Mack signed as a free agent, joining a unit that already boasts impressive tackles Jake Matthews and Ryan Schraeder.

If the offensive side of the ball is flawed in Atlanta, the defence is a downright mess. And that should be concerning considering Dan Quinn, brought in from the Seattle Seahawks two off-seasons ago as a defensive expert, is now in his second season heading up the Falcons.

The defensive line has some name recognition and potential in former high draft picks Vic Beasley and Ras’Shede Hageman, but to date the two are leaning more towards busts on the prospect pendulum.

There’s less to say about Atlanta’s linebacking corps. Courtney Upshaw was brought in as a free agent but has proven to be nothing special after four years with the Ravens. He’ll fit in well with fellow linebackers Brooks Reed and Paul Worrilow. There should be plenty of opportunity for second-rounder Deion Jones and even fourth-rounder De’Vondre Campbell.

And the secondary is thin as well but at least sports some intrigue with the underrated Desmond Trufant at cornerback and first round pick Keanu Neal, a Quinn favourite, at strong safety.

Ryan isn’t the quarterback we saw last year, and he has a long enough track record of monotonous yet solid play that he deserves the benefit of the doubt a return to form should be imminent. But Ryan has never been a superstar QB and that’s probably the only thing that could push this Falcons’ team into the postseason. An expected career revival may not even be enough to get them out of the improving NFC South basement.