Those closely-spaced engines are all fine and dandy in case of a simple flameout, but also consider that engines have been known to shed debris around on occasion. An engine failure epidemy is quite a known feature of such a design - see the accidents to SP-LAA, a LOT IL-62 at EPWA in 1980 or SP-LBG, a LOT IL-62 M also near EPWA in 1987 for example.
On the other hand, on the Tu-22 You still have the silken way out, should this happen.
A little side note - when it comes to clustered engines, nothing beats the FMA I. A. 36 with its 5 RR Derwent engines all together in the tailcone. It was maybe a smart move to shelve this design:
