I respectfully disagree.
We comfortably won our way into the playoffs on that schedule. We could have won more games but McDermott played conservatively, knowing we had 10+ wins in the bag. Example: second Patriots game. We could have won that game, but NE just wanted the win more. I even think we would have taken more risks and possibly won earlier games if we had a tougher schedule ahead, example Cleveland game. We won the games we had to win, which mostly weren't that hard, and the rest we were willing to let ride rather than take a big risk on Allen getting hurt again or making an embarrassing mistake. The Baltimore game is another example of a game we lost because the other side just seemed to want it more.
My first point being: we didn't need the creampuff schedule last year to make the playoffs.
My second point now: that creampuff schedule HURT us in the playoffs. Playing tough teams all year is great training for the playoffs. Playing easy teams is negative training for the playoffs. I think we were honestly surprised how hard that first game was, after mostly easy games all year.
I hope this year's schedule is more challenging, as we need the hard play and we need to have some HUNGER going in to the playoffs. We need to get used to taking risks to win games because we wont win the playoffs with a conservative game plan. With all due respect to Marv, we have to take a page from BB and learn to approach each and every game as a "must win", and a tougher schedule will force us to do that.