I was being a bit facetious, but based on my experience shooting gophers with CF rifles like the 7RM, .30-06, etc, shooting them broadside doesn't offer enough resistance to really do a ton of damage, but when you shoot them lengthwise, the body explodes as if it had an IED go off underneath them. I suspect the damage you'd see from a .50 on deer would likewise be more impressive when shot from stem to stern.
You're probably right about the blast.
