Vikings coach Mike Zimmer needs Kirk Cousins and that $150 million arm to save a season

Arm strength and the ability to push the ball down the field accurately are the primary reasons Kirk Cousins was the $84 million alternative the Vikings gleefully chose when scrappy, weak-armed Case Keenum was kicked to the curb after winning 12 games and authoring one memorable miracle en route to the NFC Championship Game in January 2018.

Three-and-a-half seasons and another $66 million guaranteed for Cousins later, the regime that paid for that big arm is at risk of being exterminated in part because of a narrow-minded offense that plays not to win, but to not lose.

Among 33 qualifying passing leaders, Cousins ranks 32nd in average pass length (6.7). Only Jared Goff (6.11) of the 0-8 Lions ranks lower. Lamar Jackson, whose Ravens (5-2) face the Vikings (3-4) in Baltimore on Sunday, ranks first (10.57).

A week ago, the Vikings were embarrassed at home by Dallas in large part because a quarterback with 111 career starts couldn't, wouldn't and/or wasn't allowed to keep pace down the field with Cooper Rush, a backup with one career completion.

After converting their first third down, the Vikings went 0-for-12. Nine times, Cousins got a third-down pass off. He completed four for 20 yards.

Average length of pass: 2.8 yards.

Average distance behind the sticks the ball landed: 6.2 yards.

"There's always more opportunities to push the ball down the field," offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said. "We've just got to be more cognizant of doing so."

Uh, now would be a good time.

Before last week's bye, the Ravens played a home game. They lost 41-17. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow averaged 10.9 yards per attempt, completing 23 of 38 passes for 416 yards with one sack. Ja'Marr Chase, who is good but not better than old teammate Justin Jefferson, had eight catches for 201 yards (25.1) and a touchdown.

Not long after Kubiak talked about always having more of those opportunities to push the ball down the field, this question came to mind:

"Klint, who's responsible for doing that? You or Kirk?" In hindsight, one would have liked to add, "Or Mike Zimmer," the defensive-minded head coach with offensive veto powers he's not afraid to execute.

Cousins leads the league in lowest interception percentage (0.7). He has two interceptions in 274 attempts.

On paper, that's a great stat. But when you're under .500, getting lapped by the Packers in the NFC North and unable to put teams away when the opportunities are there, it's a stat that screams "too conservative." Especially when you've committed $150 million to your quarterback, your offensive line is improving, and your starting receivers are Jefferson and Adam Thielen.

It's time for Cousins to risk soiling that interception percentage and his quest to always be Perfect Kirk by seeking more of the rewards of not ranking 32nd in average pass length. It's time for Kubiak to call more plays that push the ball downfield throughout the game, and not just on the first drive. It's time for Zimmer to accept all of the above as his best chance to see a ninth season in Minnesota.

It's risky, sure. But Danielle Hunter's season-ending injury changes everything. A defense that was limping along in hopes of getting Patrick Peterson and Michael Pierce back soon now knows it won't recapture the pass rush it needs for a team to win with defense, Dalvin Cook (when he's not dinged up) and Cousins throwing checkdowns at Cook's shoelaces while hiding in the shadows until desperation time arrives in the closing seconds.

Cousins' heroics at the end of games against Cincinnati, Arizona, Detroit and Carolina prove he and that big, accurate arm can do it. In those games, he did exactly what a team pays a guy $33 million to do.