Indeed, bear. As I understand the wingbox (thanks to some brilliant pictures previously posted in this very thread), numerous structural members (as well as eng/ hyd / flight contr systems pieces) were in a cone to be to hit / damaged/ deflected off of, and thus play the role of "trajectory adjustor." ( Sort of like an insurance adjustor, but without the infected soul ...
).
From the earlier discussions regarding the kinetic energy of the turbine disc, perhaps even the strongest structural member was able to deflect high speed bits only slightly. Learning of the 5 deg / 15 deg standards (a few posts up) was most enlightening.
Something about that V^2 term and bits of straw rammed into doors during tornadoes comes to mind.