While it seems fair to say the crew made decisions that we, based on FDR plots and from the comfort of our homes, do not understand... I think it is also important to keep in mind the timespan and chaotic situation in the cockpit at the time. Pretty much in the time that it takes you to read the events as they happened, they had to analyze them and troubleshoot them with alarms going off. We can sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and take 10-15 minutes to think about it and decide what they should have done instead.
Pointing at the crew as the cause of this accident is not completely fair in my opinion. They may have made decisions that turn out to be questionable to the skygods here who have figured out exactly what they should have done. But... if they'd had a well designed plane without vague, ill designed and explained "safety" features one could also argue this accident would not have happened. Follow the problem down to the roots and you will IMHO always end up at Boeing and the design decisions made. The crew on this flight could be considered the last slice of the cliché swiss cheese with the hole lined up.