A missile can work as an offset strategy

Is the missile a terrible idea?

Not from the Soviet perspective: it can be an effective offset that forces the United States to spend heavily on defenses.

A weapon can be a poor fit for the defender yet a good choice for the attacker if it destabilizes the opponent's budget. The Soviet perspective values the ability to threaten carriers and compel expensive American countermeasures, even apart from a simple weapon-for-weapon comparison. A large missile cruiser also provides a visible peacetime symbol in ports where an American carrier might not appear. The Iowa-class reactivations answered that symbolism with an equally conspicuous platform whose guns projected power even when missiles were technically more capable.