It's not just to make the 737MAX behave similarly to the 737NG. The 737MAX has objectively bad handling at high AoA due to the engine positioning. Once you're

It's not just to make the 737MAX behave similarly to the 737NG. The 737MAX has objectively bad handling at high AoA due to the engine positioning. Once you're at high AoA, it doesn't have good static stability, and has too much of a tendency to pitch up further into a stall. The cause of this though is as you say, the desire to make the 737MAX be on the same type certificate as the NG rather than do a clean sheet design. Obviously in hindsight, Boeing would have been better off with the clean sheet design. At this point though, I think either they have to get the MAX recertified or they go bankrupt. They could potentially be bailed out by the government and a clean sheet design started, but even the bailed out company would be a shell of its former self with no narrowbody aircraft to sell. I think you'll see Boeing get the MAX recertified or die trying.