Did Carl Rinsch even direct a feature? I can't recall. I think Luke Scott is talented, but he's not his father. His time for something solid may yet come.
Ridley is a supreme visualist, director and concept man, but he needs at least one steadying hand working with the creative elements outside of just himself. That was true 30-40 years ago and it's true today. That doesn't mean he isn't now one of the old masters with an incredible body of work and a remarkable level of skill and an intense work ethic - even his bad films are striking, and The Counselor, one of the most gonzo and ridiculous movies I have ever seen in my life is spellbinding in both its bad/madness and its visual majesty. He is a brilliant businessman in addition to director who has reinvented himself many times, coming out of a number of ruts and failures. But he is not invincible, which is part of why this film is happening as it is. Covenant is a calculation for him, and it will likely be a solid one numbers-wise even if I personally find what we know of the plot to be a disappointment - I still expect the overall film to be impeccably produced, directed and lensed, and to be a fun if derivative time.
Point being: Even guys like John Ford, Howard Hawks, etc. did stinkers. Same with a Steven Spielberg or Bertolucci or Coppola or whoever else today. Scott is no different, he is just far more skilled and canny (or cynical) at dancing the line between art and commerce than almost any of them. I can't fault him for that. He's crazy like a fox.
