Seems like a really good reason not to be doing anything but watching what George or Otto is doing when being so dynamic; plus knowing what it should be doing and what you want it to do and knowing how to resolve the two. Seems like you did.
I've seen other scenarios where the A/P was not doing what Freddie in RHS wanted, so they started playing the piano on the MCP trying to correct it, then in desperation disconnected to sort it out. That's quite a healthy outcome; not being afraid to take charge, but it still showed a weak understanding of how to have avoided or corrected the situation via the MPC in the first place.
Therein lies a weakness in training. Cadets are taught how to use the MCP in standard scenarios like trained monkeys, and usually the FD follows their actions. They are not told how to use the MCP in depth and so can choose what to do to achieve the wanted result. Don't learn only one tune but learn all the scales.
Regarding the FD the scan has been diluted to "follow the FD." Many scenarios have been quoted where the FD was wrong or confusing, e.g. FD fly right, LOC deviation left. Scanning the ND for S.A. & W/V, ADF needles etc. resolved what was happening, but the dogmatic following of FD in such circumstances caused confusion with PF and a little consternation within me as PM that the PF was not using all the information available but was tunnelled vision on the FD.