f you look at the second photograph in the link which 7-cylinder man posted (#5), you'll notice the tyres are still inflated. They did not catch fire from the pooled burning fuel because they were up wind of it.
If the tyres survived that inferno, then surely it's worth attempting to put the fire down wind of the fuselage.
The reason the tyres are not burned is because they were underneath the flame front from the pool fire.
yes downwind from the fuselage is a logical desired result but in this case it was the side component into the fuselage that was significant and not the first thing in a crews mind while stopping the aircraft.
In this one unique case There was also the initial effect of the deployed thrust aft reverser deflecting the fuel stream flow sideways while underway (before fuel pooling underneath)