Perhaps I have been missing something, BUT in my experience of the 737 ( a delightful aircraft)
as a TC with 7000 hours on type I used to teach that if the automatics are not doing exactly what you require, or you dont quite understand a particular aspect of the system, disconnect the AP and AT and FLY the damned thing.
It is, after all, just an aeroplane, fly the jet as such, using the yoke and thrust levers, simple.,
If you cant do that you should not be in airliner cockpit.