I made a post upthread about it, but no, this isn't actually unusual, particularly for Boeing. Their design philosophy generally revolves around granting the pilot maximum authority over the plane. There have been various models that have had the same type of compensator built into their controls. The 727-300 I believe is the most notorious I've come across.

McDonnell Douglas also implemented something similar one of their DC' family of jets. I believe it was either the 9, 10, or 11. In that case it was to accommodate a smaller tailplane to decrease drag.