Dude was not even going to be sniffing the bench at the Super Bowl. This is media hype manipulation.

I agree with much of what you're saying. I just feel that while the episode itself isn't filler, it does have a bunch of pointless filler in it. The episode could have been so much better by cutting out some of that filler and expanding on the relationship between Bill and Frank, and Joel and Tess. It was a missed opportunity.

IMO the writing was not good, the standout positive was the acting by Murray Bartlett.