I assume you are referring to a drain plug on an Automatic transmission. If your transmissin fluid needs replacing so does your filter. All manufactures
take the same approach. If you make it easy to replace fluid then the filter is neglected which over time will bring you to a halt. All manufactures, not just Ford, make you drop the pan if you are replacing fluid.

Live with the mess of dropping the pan and get that filter while it is off. I have fixed many transmissions for friends just by replacing fluid and filter.

My sons first car a 69 Charger was found sitting in a guys back yard with grass growing up around it. My son bought the car for $100 and with the investment of another $50, for fluid and filter, became the envy of the every kid in school. This was back in 1980 so the car had become hot hot hot because of the Dukes of Hazzard.