I've found with DL (I would think the other major airlines do the same thing) that they usually put your bags on the first available flight to your destination, so if you can reasonably make an earlier connection, it is usually safe to do so as the airline will put your bags on the first flight to their destination anyway. I've used this tactic a few times, and have arrived at my destination and my bags did in fact come out as with the luggage on the earlier flight I hopped. Of course, since they lost your bag, you would have waited for your original flight likely anyway hoping it had not made it with Joe's bag ...