I'm setting up my Axis for cross season next year and saw a pic of a really sweet Moots ti bike with a 44mm tire in the front and a 37mm tire in the rear. Are thier any advantages to this setup?

Last time I did cross I used skinny 28mm Tigre Cross sewups and hit something, I don't know what, and did an endo, breaking my collarbone. I know a large tire won't prevent this but will it help at all? I guess it depends on the size of what I'm hitting!