Good point Okie.
The thing about a smaller and less rapid rate of elevator when on the backup gains is that HAL will keep trying to achieve the commanded gee. So after a minute of back stick, the THS starts trying to help, and as the smash runs out both elevator and THS keep moving to get to the gee command.
We dinosaurs didn't quite understand this aspect of our FBW control laws until we had line pilots get into the "deep stall" ( not what AF447 had). Same scenario...... relatively steep pitch and losing energy real fast. Elevators are trying to make the jet get to one gee ( corrected for attitude). If the time constants and such are not aggressive, you wind up with a high AoA that the control surfaces cannot handle.
So with the "standby gains" active, and below the default value with everything smoothly running, you are further screwed. The control surfaces don't move as fast or as far to keep you away from the stall AoA values and such.
To all here: I fully realize that the AF447 scenario will likely NEVER BE REPEATED. However, it should serve as a very serious lesson to all the "professional pilots" here that fly planes with FBW systems.