. If you know what's wrong, then you're not confused, you're the opposite: you accurately know the situation. Confusion is if you think the automation setup will result in something different than what it's actually resulting in.
I said no to this. In the two cases if they would have seen the speed falling they could still be confused as to why it's falling if they don't check the mode/FMA. But the falling speed would have drawn their attention to the mode or FMA which they would have corrected. Alternately had they checked the mode first, as they must in Airbus then they would have corrected it then and there knowing that it (OP DES) won't maintain the speed. In Airbus you are not to assume anything as happening unless you confirm the FMA. If FMA was correct and yet speed starts falling that can be confusing. But that wasn't the case here. They committed first error of not getting into correct mode and checking it on the FMA, then committed the second, confirmatory error as it were to not monitor the parameter, the speed to cause the disaster.