Joiner Stood Idle as Streak Came to End
If the Chargers’ game against Seattle Sunday proves to be Charlie Joiner’s last at home, Coach Al Saunders will have second thoughts about having kept him on the sidelines.
“In retrospect, if it was in fact Charlie’s last game at home, I wish he would have gotten in,” Saunders said Monday.
Joiner, the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions with 747 and receiving with 12,121 yards, spent the game in uniform.
And on the sidelines.
Despite breaking a bone in his right hand against Houston the week before, Joiner, 39, practiced last week and was able to play Sunday, according to Joiner, Saunders and Charger trainer Mark Howard.
Yet, he did not play a single down. His 194 regular-season consecutive-game streak, dating back to Nov. 25, 1973, with the Bengals, ended.
“That (the streak and last possible home game) was never a thought that crossed anybody’s mind,” Saunders said. “I didn’t think of it.”
In typical Joiner fashion, he was not critical of the decision to keep him on the sidelines. After the game, Joiner did admit to being “disappointed” at not getting to play, according to a San Diego newspaper. But when reached at home Monday, on the players’ day off, Joiner said: “I wasn’t thinking about the streak or that it might be my last game. I can’t make personal concessions when you are trying to win the ballgame. You have to stick to the team concept.”
Joiner has a one-year contract and there has been speculation (again) that he will retire after the season.
Don’t tell that to Joiner, who has caught 31 passes this season.
“I haven’t told anyone I’m retiring,” Joiner said. “That’s just speculation on the part of reporters. I’ll be ready for next year.”
And he was “ready if they called me” Sunday.
“It wasn’t a conscious effort to play any individual at one time,” Saunders said. “The way the game was going, there wasn’t a need for substitutions.”
Saunders said that wide receiver Trumaine Johnson was playing well, the Chargers did not have the ball much in the second half, Joiner’s practice time with the first team was limited last week and that Joiner had trouble cradling the ball.
However, the Chargers repeatedly said last week that Joiner was practicing and would be able to play against Seattle.
“You have to realize the man has a broken hand,” Saunders said. “But there was no problem with him playing if he had to play.”
Said Joiner: “It’s difficult standing up and catching (the ball in practice), but when you are in a game you forget about the hand and just catch the ball.”
Said Saunders: “I was surprised that it didn’t work out that he’d play. But he wasn’t involved in the play selection and personnel that went in the game. That’s the way it came up. I didn’t consciously think of that and (offensive coordinator) Ernie (Zampese)) must not have.”
Saunders said he plans to play Joiner in the season finale against Cleveland Sunday.
“I really hope we end the season on a good note,” Joiner said.
Charger Notes
After shutting out Houston and holding Indianapolis to just three points, the Chargers allowed 34 points to Seattle on Sunday. The defense was hampered by injuries in the secondary, but it also suffered from a lack of communication that resulted in big plays for the Seahawks. “I’m a little less ecstatic today than I was a week ago,” Ron Lynn, defensive coordinator, said Monday. “We didn’t play well in a game we wanted to play well in. It’s discouraging (to have miscommunication) at any point in time, but it is particularly discouraging at this point in the season. And it wasn’t just one guy. . . . Our defense is probably somewhere in between (the defense that allowed just three points in two games and that allowed 34 points against Seattle).” . . . Coach Al Saunders said he is not afraid his team will have an emotional letdown in the season finale in Cleveland against an 11-4 team that can clinch a home-field advantage throughout the American Football Conference playoffs with a victory. “It would have been easy for them (Chargers) to fold it in three weeks ago,” Saunders said, “but they didn’t. I think we have a large number of professionals on this team. I would be disappointed if we had an emotional letdown. I think we’ll play with a great deal of intensity. . . . In the past, it always seemed like that’s (the weather) all anyone talked about. In the future, I hope we alleviate any excuses.” . . . Injury report: Offensive tackle Sam Claphan sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee against Seattle and is doubtful for Sunday. Claphan is not expected to practice until Friday at the earliest. Offensive tackle Jim Lachey aggravated a hamstring pull against Seattle and is questionable. Defensive backs Gill Byrd (hamstring pull) and Vencie Glenn (groin pull) aggravated their injuries and are questionable.