Flyingwithoutwings. You are right. The FCTM states that flaps are not normally used for increasing the descent rate...and that normal descents are made in the clean configuration to pattern or instrument approach altitude...if greater descent rates are required, extend the speed brakes. All this adds up to the aircraft should normally be in level flight when reducing speed prior to extending flaps. While the FMC may gradually reduce the speed in the descent before initial flap selection to flaps 1 and 5 - the aircraft is not in level flight - it is still going down and the flaps are therefore being used as speed brakes - in my view.