You don't have to compare +2 pulses to mastery, you can max mastery while having the pulse bonus.

Also, you do have some form of cc, the 5s daze. The duration is more worthwhile solo, probably. maybe even in 3 mans. But the reality is none of those present difficulty in completing. I can't be bothered to respec for such a small advantage, so I stay with the bonus that helps in difficult content. I'll leave it at that though, stop trying to convince you.

Opening rotation is really dependent on what procs you get. I usually open with distracting flame, everything else is dependent on what gets procced. Always use writ immediately after any searing words procs, without delaying it too long if there are no procs (the first writ stack is the one you can least afford to delay obviously, there is more leeway with the other two). If you get a 4 stack searing words, your opening dps is ridiculous. For 25-60s fights like Thorog, I take an additional +2 pulses using the level 85 armor (I stay capped on Mastery and crit).